


Shadow of the Sun

by MandaPanda2499



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Clexa, F/F, The 100 - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-01-15 17:43:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 62,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12325770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MandaPanda2499/pseuds/MandaPanda2499
Summary: Klarke Kom SkaikruLeksa Kom TrikruTwo separate lives, completely intertwined. In the shadow of the sun, where they hide, and where they belong. No more waiting. They say that life is always easier, when you let yourself come undone. Love is a weakness, she knows this. She tells herself to close her eyes, see her vivid mind. Find the treasure in life, behind the hidden mountains.But maybe, life is about more than just surviving. Life is always easier after you let yourself come undone, she'll give you everything you are. She'll keep your secrets till she's in the ground, don't let her waste away. In the shadow of the sun is where you hide, but you need her. It's where you belong. Somethings coming on, in the shadow of the sun.





	1. Shadow of the Sun

"They say that life is always easier  
After you let yourself come undone  
They say they'll give you all that you want  
And I'll be waiting in the shadow of the sun  
Seizing time no one has been before  
Close the curtains, what you waiting for?  
And I'll be keeping secrets till I'm in the ground

Changing colors makes you waste away  
Just paint your eyes with a vivid mind  
Now you see what's behind the lights  
And I'll be waiting in the shadow of the sun

Finding treasures that has been on demise  
Building mountains in disguise  
And I'll be keeping secrets till I'm in the ground

I'm in the shadow of the shadow of the sun  
Where I belong, there's something coming on  
I'm in the shadow of the shadow of the sun  
Oh and I need you

I'm in the shadow of the shadow of the sun  
Where I belong, there's something coming on  
No more waiting, times are changing  
And there's something coming on..."

***

**Disclaimer:**

 

**Hi! I just want to quickly say that I'm really excited to write this book. I just want to add that for a little while, the story line is going to follow the TV show exactly until we get to the part of the story that will split off - I will tell you all when that happens. So with that said, I want to say that obviously none of the ideas or dialogue are my original thought or ideas. They all come from the writers and producers of the TV show so absolutely full copy right to them for it. I am not trying to take any owner ship to any of it. When we branch away from the show (and by that I mean like when Lexa dies in the TV show) I will obviously not be using a lot of the dialogue for the story. However I will still follow the plot line until S5 (like the whole Bunkerkru and Bellamy and everyone going back to the Ark). So with that said, I want to clarify that NONE OF THE IDEAS OR DIALOGUE BELONG TO ME. All credit and ownership goes to CW and the writers and producers of the show! Thank you for reading.**


	2. Leksa

I

**Klarke:**

The hands that were wrapped around my tightly, soon gave way as my knees hit the concrete floor. I groaned in pain, pulling my arms away from the rough hands that held me captive. I couldn't see anything through the sack that was placed over my head, and I felt as if I was running out of air. I felt faint; and I wanted to get out of this situation. There was sweat dripping down my back, and I could feel it reaching the small of my back. It was stuck in my lips, causing blood to drip into my mouth and because of it, I tasted how metallic it was. The dirt and salt from lose tears mixed in, left a disgusting taste in my mouth.

Light began to fade in as I tried my best to look through the sack that was on my head. I could hear muffled voices and a few feet shuffling. I grew nervous, hoping that it wasn't my time; Ai gonplei ste nou odon.

It was then that the cover on my head was pulled, and the light blinded my eyes. I squinted and blinked back my surprise before letting my senses take in the room. I didn't know where I was, but a feeling crept up on me; and I had a feeling that I knew who I was with.

My eyes looked directly in front of me, meeting the stare of cold, green eyes. My heart began to race as every possible question began to fill my head. I couldn't even help the soft gasp that fell from my lips at the sight of the Commander.

"Hello, Clarke." Her voice brought chills to my arms, which turned to anger in seconds. I watched as she rose to her feet, taking small steps until she stood in front of me. I watched as she looked across my face; she must be taking in the blood and dirt in my face, not to mention the growing bruises and few cuts that are scratched across my face.

"The deal was for you to bring her to my unharmed." She spoke to my capture, not looking at me anymore. My rage only began to grow.

"She did not come easy." The man said, his voice deep.

"I'd expect not..." Her eyes turned to me, and with every part of me, I wished my hands were free. So I could wrap them around her neck, and watch the life fade from her eyes.

"I've done my part," The man said. "Now do yours." I was curious to know what her part in all of this way- it was easy to see what the mans part in all of this was. "Lift my banishment." He continued.

"I'm told your mother's army marches on Polis." Lexa then said, her eyes on the man again.

"Honor our deal."

"I'll honor our deal when your queen honors my coalition. Lock Prince Roan of Azgeda away." Her voice was deep and strong, the way that I remembered it.

"Yes, Heda." The guard in the room said this, as Roan struggled in his arms. I still couldn't take my eyes off the Commander, wondering how this even happened in the first place.

"What of Wanheda?" I didn't see who asked that question. I only saw her. I only saw red.

"Leave us."

"What?"

Lexa turned to look at the man who spoke. He was a bald man, with tattoos on his body. "You heard me."

They listened to their all powerful Heda, most likely because they were too afraid not to. But I knew better; I knew exactly the kind of person she was. And she was a coward. She took the cowards way out at Mount Weather- leaving me behind. Leaving me behind to kill every last one of them. Leaving me behind after that morning. After...

"I'm sorry it had to be this way. I had to ensure Wanheda didn't fall into the hands of the Ice Queen." She said to me. It was then that I snapped.

My mind filled with the visions of the dead bodies at mount weather. I thought back to the dead children, lying on the floor. Their red swollen bodies; a painful death for such innocence. They were children. And I killed them. Because of her.

Red was all I saw as I started to scream. "You bitch!" I spit in her face, watching as shook overtook her. Guards grabbed my arm as she wiped her cheek. "You wanted the Commander of Death? You've got her!" I screamed as they began to take me away. I pulled and pushed with all my light, hoping to get out of their hold. But it was no use, they were too big for me to break free.

"I'll kill you!" I screamed, my feet dragging on the floor as I was dragged out of the room. "No!" I protested. Watching as the doors shut, taking Lexa from my view. I didn't stop screaming, threatening to end the Commanders life. It was what I wanted, after all. And I was the Commander of Death; I would get what I want.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	3. Polis

**Klarke:**

I was put into a room, a bedroom chamber as some might say. I was left alone, with the doors locked. It has been like that for nearly a week. The only time someone came into my room was when they brought me food, or to empty my chamber pot. I was left alone with my thoughts for nearly a week- something that I tried not to do. Be alone with my thoughts, it was a dangerous game. 

I thought about Lexa a lot during that time. After the events of Mount Weather, and how she abandoned my people and I, and how I was left to do something that not only shredded my soul, but took the last ounce of humanity that I had left. Killing the people of the Mountain was something that I didn't want to happen, I didn't want it to come to that. All I wanted was to get my people out of there, to get them home. 

But I had to kill everyone, in order to save everyone else. It was something that I wasn't proud of. 

But I did it. 

And then spent the last few months hiding in the forests; learning how to live on the ground. Between learning the language of the Grounder, and feeding myself every day, I don't think that I could tell the difference between being from the Ark, or being from the Ground. I reminded myself of Octavia; someone I missed. 

Either way, I spent most of my week thinking about the past. About Bellamy, about my mother, and how everyone at the Ark is doing. Even though I missed them, I couldn't go back. I couldn't be reminded of what I had to do in order to free them. It was too hard, looking at their faces every day, knowing what I did. I bear it, so they don't have to. 

I was standing at the window, looking out into the city of Polis, when I heard the door open. I turned to look, hoping that it would be the person that brought me my meals. I was getting hungry, and it was nearing the time that I would be brought my food. 

But instead, it was the one person that I did not want to see. It was the one person that I hated with my entire being. The one person that had me captured here, locked away in the room. I longed to be back in the forest, hunting for my next meal and a safe place to sleep for the night. I did not want to be here, let alone with her. 

"Hello Clarke." She looked calm, her hands clasped together in front of her. Her green eyes steady. I could already feel my anger burning inside of me for this woman, for her betrayal. 

I glared at her. "What part of 'I won't see you" was unclear?" I asked her, keeping my distant. 

"I respected your wishes for a week, Clarke." She said, her voice missing any emotion. "We've got bigger concerns."

" 'We' don't have any concerns at all." I reminded her. 

"Yes, we do." She refused, taking a step closer to me. I moved back slightly. "I'm hosting a summit with Skaikru at sundown. You will be returned to your people." She told me. 

I looked at her inquiringly. "You went to all that trouble to capture me just to let me go?" I asked her.

"I went through all that trouble, to save you." She said, I could tell she was getting angry. I didn't care though. I shook my head, looking out the window for a second before looking back at her. 

"You know when I could've used saving?" I asked her as I moved away from her. "When you abandoned me at Mount Weather."

She looked taken back, the first emotion that displayed itself across her hardened face. "Clearly, you didn't need my help."

"Clearly." I retorted.

"You're angry, Clarke," Lexa said, increasing my annoyance at her. "What you've done haunts you, and it's easier to hate me than to hate yourself." 

I know that she was right. I did hate myself. I hated myself with every breath I took. I hated myself for the choices I've made, how many lives I took, and how much blood is on my hand. I did hate myself, for many reasons. But I hated her for one reason that stands alone; she made me do it. I shook my head at her. "Oh, I can do both."

Lexa took a step forward, her own anger growing. "What would you have done if their leader had offered you the deal to save your people at the price of mine? Would you really have chosen differently?" She asked me.

"I don't betray my friends!" I nearly yelled. 

"But you did," She said, causing my skin to crawl. "You had friends in Mount Weather."

"Those deaths are on you, too. The only difference is, you have no honor, and I had no choice." I wanted my words to hurt her. To cut her across the face like her words do it mine. I wanted her to feel the pain that I felt when she walked away from me on that battle field. I wanted her to know how much it hurt, knowing that there could've been something more between us, until she left. Until she betrayed me. 

"It helps no one to dwell on the past." Lexa said, no emotion on her face. She took a few steps closer to me, until she was just a foot or two away. "That is not what I am here. You're right, I'm not just letting you go back to your people. I want something more. I want your people, to become my people."

"I'm offering Skaikru the chance to join my coalition, become the thirteenth clan." She continued, her eyes never leaving mine. "No one would dare to move against you because that would be moving against me."

I shook my head, not believing her. Why would I believe anything that came out of her mouth? "Just leave me alone. I'm done. Do you understand that? I left." I told her.

"You can't run away from who you are, Clarke." I hated the way that she said my name. "Join me. Bow before me, and your people will be safe."

"Bow before you?" I almost laugh. "You don't give a damn about my people. I know why you're here. I made you look weak at Mount Weather, and now, the Ice Nation is exploiting that. Well, if you want the power of Wanheda, kill me. Take it. Otherwise, go float yourself, because I will never bow to you." 

*******

I sat at the end of the bed, twirling the knife in my hand. I kept thinking about how easy it would be to slit her throat, to kill her. Maybe it would help me, maybe it wouldn't. I knew that I was willing to try, though. I wanted her dead.. I wanted her to feel the same betrayal I felt when she left me at Mount Weather. I know that she would never suspect me of trying to hurt her. She never has a body guard around her when she's with me, like yesterday when she came to talk to me. I knew that she trusted me... why I don't know. But maybe, it was because she knew that she could handle me easily. I'm not the best person at combat, and without a weapon, she could probably kill me with her own two hands. But with this knife, maybe then... 

I kept thinking about what Roan said to me earlier.  _'If you do this, Azgeda will take control of the coalition, and you'll find a strong and gratefull ally in the Ice Queen'._  The question remains: could I? Would the Ice Queen accept me as an ally, the all powerful Wanheda? I didn't think she would. I didn't trust her. Despite the things that Lexa has done to betray my trust, I knew at least that much. The Ice Nation was not something that should be trusted. 

I stood up quickly when I heard movement from outside of the door. I slide the knife up my sleeve and faced away as the doors opened. I knew it was Lexa. I had asked to see her. 

"You wanted to see me? I'm here." Her deep voice filled the quiet room. I heard the doors close, and I knew that we were alone. I looked down at the knife, picturing the look of Jasper's face when he held Maya's dead body in his arms. The hatred that he felt for me was enough for my anger to grow. I turned around, just as she stepped forward. "Clarke..."

I ignored her words, moving quickly and letting the knife slide into my palm. I grabbed her by the back of her neck and held the knife to the front. She took in an unsteady breath, but didn't try to move away or fight back. Instead, she only looked calmly into my eyes, her face free of emotions. I looked back and forth between her eyes, my own eyes brimming with tears as I thought about what I was about to do. 

It was then that I was brought back into her tent, so many weeks ago. When we were discussing how to get our people out of the Mountain. How she kissed me. How she grabbed my neck and pulled me in, pressing her lips against mine. I remembered the electricity that I felt when her lips touched mine. I remembered that after that, I only looked at her in one way. I couldn't stop thinking of what I had hoped for, and a small part of me, a very small part, still did. I was so hurt by what she did, by what she caused, but I knew that deep down, I would have done the same thing. 

"I'm sorry." She whispered. Hearing those words, my heart felt as if it was the one with a knife against it, not her throat. I started shaking my head, and I pushed her away, letting the knife fall to the floor. My back was facing hers and I felt as if I was about to fall to my knees. I needed a minute to calm myself down, but I don't think that that could've happened. "I never meant to turn you into this." She whispered.

"You're free to go," She said suddenly. "Your mother is here, I'll have you escorted to her."

I closed my eyes. Knowing what must be done. She was right. I can't runaway from who I am. "Wait." I said, turning around to look at the woman who I almost just killed. "I have a better idea."

"What?" She asked, her voice quiet. It was no longer as powerful as it was before. 

"I'll join your coalition." I told her. 

I think I took her by surprise. But as usual, there was no emotion on her face. "Very well. I will send someone in to assist you for tonight." And with that, she left. I was left alone, with just my thoughts and the knife on the ground. I felt as if a little of my anger had been let go, knowing, that she was just as affected by leaving me alone at Mount Weather as I was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	4. Mount Weather

**Klarke:**

After meeting with my mother and Kane, I knew that my decision of joining Lexa's coalition was the right one- and I knew that both my mother and Kane agreed with me. I was nervous, this was something that I had never expected. I had hoped that maybe some day, the Sky People and the Grounders would unite as one, but that was before Lexa betrayed me. I knew that I had to get over what happened, and a part of me was. I think that the part of me that was still upset over what she had done; but I think that that pain is a different sort of one. 

I was getting ready for tonight. Lexa had a woman come in to help me dress. I didn't exactly understand the reason behind it, but I knew that tonight was a big deal. It was the announcement of Skaikru joining the coalition. It was an important affair. I was standing in the middle of the room, with a armor chest plate tight across my body. I was wearing a skirt of some form, with the black flowing at my feet. My hair was braided back in a similar style as Lexa's, and I had black war paint painted on my face. I felt like a true Grounder, and a part of me, was reminded of a time when we were at war with the Grounders at the drop ship. It was crazy to think that that was only months ago. Now, I'm dressed like one, and in the capitol of their Nation.

It was almost time, and I knew it because Lexa's guards came to get me. I grew nervous. I didn't know how the other ambassadors were going to feel. I know that they won't be happy- being that we've never gotten along. It's crazy to believe that we'll ever get along, but I hoped. 

As I walked down the hallway and into Lexa's throne room, I could hear the music begin to play. I had been told by Titus of what would be happening tonight, and I knew of the role that I had to play. The voice of a grounder sang out in the quiet room as the doors were pulled back. My eyes immediately met Lexa's, who was standing in front of her throne. Titus by her side and a guard by his. I walked the distance towards, well aware of the stares from everyone in the room. 

When I stood in front of her, her dark intimidating eyes surrounded by black, looked down at me. I swallowed, and then slowly went down onto my knees, bowing before the Commander. The room was so quiet, the only thing heard was the voice of the angelic grounder. All too soon, everyone in the room fell to their knees and bowed before their Commander. 

"Hail, warriors of the twelve clans," Lexa's voice rang out. We all repeated her. "Rise."

I looked up at her before moving to stand by the side. "We welcome Skaikru to our halls in the spirit of friendship and harmony, and we welcome Clarke Kom Skaikru, Legendary Wanhada, Mountain Slayer. The reason for this summit has changed. We are not here to negotiate a treaty with the Skaikru, but rather to initiate them into the coalition. To symbolize this union, the leader of Skaikru must bear our mark."

I looked over to wear my mother and Kane were standing, watching as they whispered back and forth for a few seconds. Then, Kane stepped forward. I watched in silence as he was branded on the arm. I could tell that he was in pain, who wouldn't be, but he did not falter. He only stood there and allowed it. 

At that moment, the doors burst open. Panic began to sweep the room and I stepped back, surprised at the sudden noise. It took me a second before I realized that it was my people. Bellamy was standing there, holding a man with a gun to his head. Octavia was behind him, and to my surprise, Pike was there as well- from the Ark. I didn't think he had survived. 

"Bellamy?" I asked out in surprise. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Titus asked, his voice deep. 

"The summit is a trap." Bellamy said, letting the man go. "We need to get you out of here."

"What the hell is going on?" I asked Lexa, taking a few steps toward her. There was a fire behind her eyes and I could feel the anger radiating off of her. 

She was glaring at Bellamy. "I don't know." She spoke through her teeth.

"It's the Ice Nation." 

"These allegations are an outrage!" A man from Ice Nation said. I could tell by the markings on his face. I watched as Lexa looked over at him. "The Ice Nation never stormed this summit with weapons, breaking our laws. That was Skaikru."

"We're right about this," Pike said. "The two guards you left behind are dead already. We need to go, now!"

Lexa was the next to speak. "How did you come by this information?"

Everyone was looking around the room then, and I grew confused. It was Octavia that spoke the question. "Where the hell is Echo?"

"What's going on? Where the hell is she?" Bellamy asked, clearly pissed off. I was beginning to grow angry myself. 

"Bellamy, maybe we were wrong about this" Octavia said, almost a whisper. 

"Stand down." Kane said, pushing Bellamy's gun to face the ground. It was then that the radio that Bellamy was wearing crackled. Raven's voice filled the quiet room. 

"Bellamy, Bellamy, come in. The Grounders attacked Mount Weather." Everyone stood in silence, and my heart started to beat faster. 

"What are you talking about?" Bellamy asked into the radio. 

"It's gone. They're all gone. Sinclair and I are the only ones left. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." Raven cried. Everyone's faces fell, the feeling of loss filling the room. I felt as if the air had been knocked out of me. Everyone? Did that mean everyone? Jasper, Monte, Harper? Were they gone too?

"You should have never moved your people back into Mount Weather." The same man from earlier said. We all looked at him, but I looked at Lexa. I could see how mad she was getting. Her face had turned red and her hands were clenched. "The Ice Nation did what Lexa was too weak to do."

Lexa was livid, and in that moment, even I began to fear her. "This is an act of war." She said through her teeth, talking a few steps closer to the man. "Sentries, arrest the Ice Nation! Including the prince."

"We need to get home." My mother said to Kane, though I over heard it. It they attacked Mount Weather, Arkadia could be next." She said. 

"I agree," Kane nodded. 

"Go," Lexa chimed in. Marshal your forces. We'll avenge the attack together." She said. 

"I'll escort them," Indra said, then turned to Octavia. "I hope you kept up your training. You'll need it." Things began moving at once, people all over the room began to run around, leaving. Voices filled the room and it was hard to follow any of the conversations. It wasn't until Bellamy spoke directly to me that I zeroed in on a conversation. 

"Clarke, we need to leave now." He said.  

Lexa interrupted. We need an ambassador from the thirteenth clan to stay here in Polis."

"It's not safe here." Bellamy said.

"Clarke will be safe here under my protection." She told him. 

I walked over to my mother. "I have to stay."

"Clarke," Mom said, shaking her head. 

"I have to make sure she keeps her word." I whispered. 

"Commander," Clarke said, "We must convene the war council immediately." Titus told Lexa. She looked over at me, not saying a word. 

"I'll be right there." I told them before I turned back to look at my mother.I gave my mother a hug, holding her tightly. Kane spoke first, not allowing my mom to have the chance to speak.

"Be safe." He said.

"You too."

I then walked over to Bellamy, and I could tell that he was upset. We've been through so much together, and he was almost like a brother to me. It hurt to have to disappoint him. But I had to stay here in Polis, I had to make sure that she did, in fact, keep her word. I didn't fully trust her, and I didn't believe that she wouldn't betray my people again. 

"She left us to die on the mountain." He reminded me. "She will always put her people first. You should come home to yours."

"I'm sorry." I sighed. He looked taken back, and then looked behind me before slowly backing away. It hurt like hell watching him leave like that, but my mind had been set and I knew that there was nothing changing it. I took a deep breath and turned around to look at Lexa. I knew that after the events that had just transpired, it would be a long night ahead of us. 

*******

Hours later, the meeting was over. We had discussed so many strategies that my brain was beginning to hurt. I began to feel the loss of my people on my back, even heavier than it was before. I couldn't believe that something like this had happened. I didn't even know that Arkadia was moving people into Mount Weather. If they hadn't done that- so many things might be different right now. 

"Let me know as soon as the scouts come back." Lexa's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I looked up, watching as she walked Titus out of the room. I sighed heavily and stood up, turning around to look out the window. I heard a few whispers from behind me, but I didn't care to hear them. I was too focused on the events that happened. What I didn't understand is how they knew where the self destruct button was- and what the password was. There had to be someone on the inside, there is no way they could have ever figured that out themselves. 

"I keep asking myself, how did the Grounders know there was a self-destruct mechanism inside Mount Weather?" I turned around to face her. We were both wearing our normal clothes know, and our War Paint was cleaned off of our faces. 

"We'll get the answer soon, Clarke." She told me, walking towards me. "Thank you for staying." I didn't like the way that she implied that I was here for her. 

"I stayed because it was the right thing for my people." I reminded her. 

"Our people." 

"If you betray be again..."

"I won't," She cut me off. She blinked a few times before moving closer, slowly moving down onto her knees. I was taken back, and took a few small steps back, looking down at her. Her green eyes were shining bright from the reflection from all the candles, and in that moment, I realized how beautiful that she really was. I knew in that moment, that she was being honest. That I could trust her. I knew how much it meant when a Commander bowed to you- it never happened. I knew that for Lexa to do it, it was something that comes straight from her heart. I knew that I could trust her. 

"I swear a fealty to you, Clarke Kom Skaikru. I vow to treat your needs as my own, and your people as my people." She said, her voice quiet. I reached out, holding out my hand. She placed her own hand in mine, slowly rising onto her feet. We locked eyes, my blue meeting her green, and at that second, I knew that things wouldn't be the same. The Ice Nation, would fall.


	5. Challenge

****

 

 

 

**Klarke:**

I was sitting at the breakfast table, my fork full of a delicious pastry that was sitting in front of me. The sun was beginning shining through the window, onto the huge table in Lexa's dining hall. I was the only one that was in here, aside from a servant who was getting things ready for whom I'm assuming, was Lexa. The way she dominated over this Nation was intimidating to many, but not to me.

The breakfast was delicious, and after the events of yesterday, I couldn't help but fill my stomach to the very brim. I was always used to being hungry on the ground, even more so then when I was on the Ark. But the ground was something different... I was always hungry. Sometimes so hungry I couldn't bare it. Like when I was living in the forest by myself. I caught my own dinner by hunting, but some nights I couldn't catch anything. I couldn't help but eat as much as I physically could in the chances that I had. 

The thoughts of last night remained heavy on my mind. I couldn't fathom why  the Ice Nation would attack Arkadia. Well, I could. But we were trying to make peace with the Grounders, and with Lexa, I actually believe that that could happen. We were the thirteenth clan now, and Lexa would protect my people- now her's. I trusted her now. After the events of last night, I needed to. I knew that I could too, it wasn't just because I needed to. I wanted to, and I knew I could. She bowed to me, and in Grounder language, that meant everything. I couldn't get the image of her out of my head and I didn't know why. 

I kept imagining how she looked when she was on her knees. She looked so scared and so vulnerable. So much like when we first kissed, in the tent before the Battle of the Mountain- before everything. I knew that she had feelings for me that at the time, I couldn't return. I don't know if she still does. I would assume that she does, why else would she fight so hard for us to become part of her clan. We've done nothing but kill each other for months, why is now any different? I know that I've showed her what peace could be like, but I didn't believe that that could be enough. But I also didn't know if maybe that was all she wanted: peace.

The sound of someone walking in caused my thoughts to disperse in my head. I looked up from my breakfast and met the cold eyes of Titus. His face was blank, free of all emotion, almost like Lexa's- maybe that's where she gets it from. 

"Clarke Kom Skaikru." He said, "The Ice Queen is here. You must join Lexa in the throne room." He told me. My face fell, my stomach filling with dread at the thought of coming face to face with the woman who wanted me dead. Who if not for Lexa, would have found and killed me weeks ago.

I rose from the table quietly, following Titus from the room. We walked down the long hallway and into the Throne room, where a few of the ambassadors were already filling the room. Lexa was sitting at the Throne, staring straight ahead. When my eyes met hers, she nodded slowly, and I walked up to her.

"Are you sure you want to be here, Clarke?" She said my name slowly, like she always does. I nodded my head, but didn't say anything. Instead, I went to go sit down next to the other ambassadors. 

"Ambassadors of the Coalition, today we honor our covenant. The clan that stands against one of us stands against us all." Lexa said as Titus told the guards at the door to bring in the prisoner. I shifted in my seat as the doors opened, the Queen herself walking into the room. She was an older woman, who was locked in rope. Her face was harsh, wrinkled lines cut across the skin.

"Queen Nia of Azgeda has confessed to the destruction of Mount Weather, resulting in the death of forty nine members of Skaikru. Wanheda, what say you?" Titus asked, looking at me. I felt the eyes of everyone in the room and my throat ran dry. But I swallowed the lump and spoke strongly.

"Skaikru demands justice."

The Queen said something, but I couldn't understand it, she spoke too quickly. Titus was quick to put her in her place. "The punishment for your crime is death. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"I need no defense." The Queen said. "She does. Today is judgement day. I call for a vote of no confidence." The Queen continued. I grew lost, having no understanding of what that meant. But when I looked at Lexa, I could see the anger in her eyes, and I knew that it wasn't a good thing.

"Take this queen to meet her fate!" Titus said, calling for the guards.

An older man spoke from across the room, telling Titus not to act so fast. "No Heda no mo." Soon, other ambassadors began to rise and repeat the same words. I knew what they were saying, and I knew that this could be a very bad thing for Lexa. I grew worried for the Commander, knowing that her life may be in danger- even more than it already is.

Titus yelled to take them away, and the guards followed his command before Lexa yelled for them to stop. I watched as Titus whispered something to Lexa, but I couldn't hear it over the ambassadors calling for Lexa's term to end.

"Commander, what is this?" I finally asked, too confused.

"This is a coup." Lexa said through her teeth.

"This is the law." The Queen said. "Her law. A unanimous vote of the ambassadors or death are all that can remove a commander from power." She explained, looking at Lexa with the cockiest of grins.

"It's not unanimous." I said, coming to Lexa's defense.

"We don't recognize the legitimacy of Skaikru." Nia yelled.

"We do," Titus said. "Yesterday, Skaikru took the brand. They are the thirteenth clan. This vote of no confidence fails. All these coup plotters will suffer the exact same fate as the Ice Queen."

"She won't take our heads because she knows our armies will retaliate. None of us here wants war." She said as she turned to look at the ambassadors behind her.

"We both know what you want, Nia." Lexa said, her voice calm and even as ever. "If you think me unfit to command, issue the challenge and let's get on with it." I looked at the brunette, unsure of what she meant by that.

"Very well. You are challenged."

"And I accept your challenge."

"So be it." Titus yelled. "Soulou gonplei. Warrior against warrior- to the death. Queen Nia of Azgeda, who do you choose to be your champion?" 

"My son Roan, Prince of Azgeda."

"Heda, who will fight for you?"

Lexa turned to look at me, her eyes meeting mine. I couldn't tell what she was thinking by her face. She seemed to have no expression at all on her face. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know what to tell her. I barely even understand what exactly is going on. All I know is that there's going to be a fight to the death between Roan and someone of her choosing. She looked away after a second, and I watched as Lexa turned around and moved to sit on her chair. And then with the most fierce look I think I've ever seen, she said the words that made my heart skip a beat.

"Ai laik Heda. Non na throu daun gon ai."

*******

I was pacing the room, Lexa's words ringing in my head. She couldn't fight in a battle to death. If she were to die, then the peace treaty would end. The coalition would come to an end and so would my people. Ice Nation would wipe everyone and I had a feeling that my fate would come to a very slow and painful death- like the last of Lexa's loves.

It wasn't even just that fact, though. I couldn't imagine watching Lexa fight to the death and watching her die. I didn't want that to happen. I couldn't. I would do anything to help her live, or to make sure she stayed breathing. I needed her, and like hell she was leaving.

Anger was an understatement of how I felt. Lexa had sent food into my room, but I haven't been able to eat it. I just kept thinking about what would happen if Lexa was killed. We've come so far since I burned three hundred of her men, and since she slaughtered countless of mine, with plans to kill more. I know that things will never be perfect, but Lexa won't be able to help anyone if she were dead.

It was then that I decided to go talk to Lexa. Maybe there was a way that I could talk to her, a way to get her to back out of it. There was still time to choose a warrior to fight in her place... maybe she would listen.

When I approached the doors, they let me in without a word. I've noticed that in the past few days, I have access to anything in the tower that I want. Not one guard tries to stop me. I don't know if that was Lexa's doing, or perhaps they were scared of the power they thought I possessed- most likely the ladder.

I didn't not expect to find a bunch of kids sitting in front of Lexa, or Lexa sitting so comfortably with them. They all looked so young, the oldest being no older than thirteen, maybe even twelve. The image alone twisted the way that I thought I had pegged Lexa as. Maybe there was more to her than I thought.

They were talking, answering a question that she must have asked. I believe it was what the strengths of a Commander should be. I recognized some of the answers, but a few were foreign to me. "Talk her out of it, yet?" I asked Titus, who was standing right beside me.

"No, but maybe you can." He replied.

"I don't understand, the Queen's not fighting. Why should she?" I asked him, it was mostly rhetorical though. But true to his character, he answered me anyway.

"The Queen's strength is not in doubt. Thanks to you, Heda's is."  I only looked at him, already annoyed by his presence. I don't understand why Lexa would want to keep him around so much.

The meeting in front of us seemed to come to an end, and luckily so did our conversation. I watched as Titus led them all out of the room, thankful for his own leaving. As they all left, Lexa stood up and walked closer to us. "Aden, stay." She called out.

A young boy stopped where he was and stood tall, but was still shorter than both Lexa and I. He looked young, he must be the eldest of them all though. His blonde hair and blue eyes were similar to mine, though he was dressed like a male version of Lexa.

"Clarke," She turned to me. "This is Aden. Aden is the most promising of my novitiates. If I should die today, he will likely succeed me. Clarke worries about her people. Tell her what will happen to them when you become Heda, Aden." The last part was directed towards the young boy, and I looked over at him curiously.

"If I become Heda, I pledge my loyalty to the thirteenth Clan." He said, his voice strong and he looked directly into my eyes. I looked over at Lexa, trying not to raise an eyebrow so I didn't offend the young boy. 

"Thank you, now go join the others." Lexa smiled. It was a different kind of smile. It wasn't her usual one, it was a kinder one, a softer one. I questioned on whether or not it was because of the presence of a child. "See? Nothing to worry about." She then said to me after the young boy left. She looked almost smug, and in that moment, it pissed me off. I take the safety of my people very seriously.

"I'm sorry if I'm worried the fate of my people lies in the hands of a child." I reminded her.

"Then you worry for nothing." Lexa said, her eyes never leaving mine. "I've sent Indra to raise an army from the villages near Arkadia. Your people are protected, as I vowed they would be." She said as she turned around and walked over to her throne. I could tell that she was growing annoyed at me, but I didn't care. I was worried about my people, and her, but I would never admit that last part to anyone.

"This is not just about my people," I said as I walked closer to her. "You don't stand a chance against Roan." I told her.

She was mad I accused her of being bad at fighting. I could see it in her eyes. The fire behind them, causing the yellow ring around her irises to glow bright. "You've never seen me fight."

"No, but I saw him kill three men in the time it took the first one to hit the ground." I told her, remembering the time when he held me captive to bring me here.

"If you're right, today's the day my spirit will choose its successor, and you need to accept that." She said.

I moved closer to her face, anger radiating off of me. "Like hell I do."


	6. Long Live King Roan

**Klarke:**

Talking to Roan was a bust, I knew that there was no way that I could convince him to kill his own mother; even if she did banish him. I did have hopes, though. I couldn't bare the thought of Lexa dying. I needed her for my people, I needed her help with creating peace between everyone. A part of me just needed her in other ways that I didn't know. It was plain and simple, really. I didn't want her to die, and I wasn't going to accept it. I already told her, like hell I was.

There had to be away to get around this. And I had a plan.

In the next ten minutes, I was standing outside the room where Queen Nia was staying. I held my arm at a distance, careful not to touch my body with it. I sent a prayer to God hoping this would work. I didn't know if it would, but I wasn't about to let Lexa die.

When the doors opened, I looked into the room and saw the Queen herself sitting in a chair. Her handmaiden, was standing in the room as well. I swallowed the lump in my throat and walked into the room, the doors closing behind me.

The cold woman smiled, her eyes reading something else. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked as they both looked at me skeptically.

"What if I changed my vote?" I asked her, my voice free of any emotion. 

"Now you're thinking like a leader of your people." She said. I moved around the table and walked closer to the woman that wanted me dead.

"I would need some assurances first." I told her.

"Skaikru will be safe." She nodded slightly, chewing on something that was in her mouth.

"And me?" My own personal safety wasn't my biggest concern right now, it was getting her to believe me.

"My quarrel is with Lexa, not you. Once she's gone, I won't need the power of Wanheda." She slammed a knife on the table.

"Ok," I nodded.

" 'Ok'? You don't want vengeance for the dead at Mount Weather?" She asked me. 

I did. "My priority is with the living, not the dead. Oso tai choda op kom jus _._ " I told her, grabbing onto the knife. I slide it across the palm of my hand, feeling the electric shocks of pain as blood began to seep from the open cut. My hand began to sting, but I showed no pain. I could't seem weak.

"I see you learned our oath." She said as I wiped the knife on my sleeve, making sure to get both sides. I slammed the knife on the table, and looked at the woman.

"Do you accept?" I asked her. She stood up, with a look of either anger or determination on her face. She was a whole head taller than me, and I had to look slightly up to see her. I watched as she grabbed the knife. 

"Oso tai choda op kom jus _._ "

"Hod op!" The handmaiden yelled from behind us, right as the Queen was about to slit her hand. I turned to look behind me but before I could react, my wrist was grabbed and I was slammed on the table, my feet just inches from the floor. I tried my best to push the girl off of me but her whole weight was on me and I couldn't get away. I watched as the handmaiden grabbed my wrist, and smelt the poison that was on it. I couldn't help but hope that maybe my death would be quick.

"Feisbona." She said as she turned to look at the Queen- who was already wiping the knife with a cloth.

"Could've been allies, Clarke." She looked down at me. "Instead, I declare you and your people enemies of Azgeda. Ontari, hold out your hand." I watched as the Queen took the knife and cut the hand of the girl, causing black blood to pour out of the open cut. "I'm letting you life for now, to send a message to Lexa. I have my own Natblida, and she will be the next Commander." She dripped the blood all over my face, and I tried my best to move around so it wouldn't drip on me. Unfortunately there was nowhere for me to go, so soon, the black blood was covering my face.

They both moved off of me as the Queen called for the guards. The doors opened and two of her guards came into the room as the Queen began giving them orders. "Take this girl to Lexa, she has a message for her." 

Ontari moved, allowing me to stand on my own, but my arms were grabbed by the guards. I tried my best to get away from them, but they were strong men that held me tightly. I was dragged harshly towards the doors and down the hallway. 

My heart was beating fast after that ordeal, and I was thankful that it was still beating. I knew that Lexa would be furious with me- I was just hoping that my plan had worked. If it did, the Queen would be dead right now. I'm sure that I would be too, Ontari would've easily been able to take me down; something I wouldn't admit to anybody.

We were quickly approaching Lexa's throne room and I found myself growing nervous. I hated the feeling and I was quick to ignore it. The doors were kicked open and I was pushed onto the floor. I landed on the hand with the cut and I hissed in pain. I heard quick movement and soon Lexa's voice yelling into the quiet room. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Her voice was so deep sometimes. I felt hands on my arm, helping me to my feet. My eyes meet the familiar green ones that belonged to Lexa and her eyes widened when she saw my face. "Chon don dison?" She asked me as I took a few steps away from her, wanting to stand on my own.

"Nia."

"What did you do?" She asked slowly.

"I tried to kill her." I answered honestly. She sighed and called for Titus, who was quick to come into the room. His eyes widened as he saw my face, and he quickly walked over to me. I flinched a little as he touched my face, but only because I didn't want him touching me. He was quiet for a few seconds before he moved to walk towards Lexa, who was still standing by the door.

"A Commander from the Ice Nation? Now all of Nia's provocations make sense, and we played right into it. She knew you would accept her challenge." Titus told her as I walked over to them.

"I've never seen blood that color before." I said, looking between the Commander and Titus.

"Goes back to the first Commander." I looked over to Lexa as she spoke. "When a nightblood child is found, they're brought here to be trained, or supposed to be."

"Your legacy is no longer secure. There is still time to choose a champion." Titus told her. Lexa began to walk away.

"You know I can't do that."

"Heda-"

"Leave us!" She yelled, her back still facing us. I had a feeling that she wanted me to stay, and Titus knew too, so he was quick to leave the room.

As soon as he was gone I spoke. "Titus is right. You're giving her exactly what she wants." I walked closer to her. 

Lexa turned around with a fire behind her eyes. A part of me thought that maybe she was always anger, or maybe it was just due to me. "Only if I lose." She said. Lexa paused for a second, shaking her head. "I know you;re just trying to help, Clarke, but there's nothing you can do here." She walked around a bit.

"I can't just let Roan kill you." My voice came out strained, and the stress in my voice was clear.

"If that is to be my fate, you must." She said loudly. Then in a much quieter voice, she added, "You're driven to fix everything for everyone, but you can't fix this. I have to do this on my own, and you have to let me."

"I won't just sit there and watch you die!" I yelled, my emotions clearly coming through in my voice. Lexa only stared at me for a second, before a horn began to sound in the distance. I heard the doors open behind me and footsteps followed.

"Heda." Titus' voice was heard. I turned around to look at him. "Taim don kom op."

Lexa's eyes were still on me and for once, her voice was quiet as she spoke and sadness was seen in her eyes. "Then this is goodbye for now."

*******

The crowd was huge. There were hundreds of Grounders crowding around one area. I was being pushed from every side as little kids began to run past me. I kept having to fix the hood that was on my head, making sure that I wasn't seen. I didn't necessarily want people to know that the legendary Wanheda was among them. It was still dangerous for me, even if I was part of the thirteenth clan. 

Music and horns began to play and it became very loud where I was standing. I sighed, trying to move to the front of the crowd. I needed to see Lexa, I needed her to know that I was here. Even if I didn't think this was a good idea, I needed her to know that I was here to support her. She is right, I can't fix this for her. I've tried but there's just no way that I can help her, or the situation.  I had to let her do this on her own, like she wants me to.

I could hear Titus talking, but I couldn't make out what he was saying over the roar of the crowd. I pushed past people, trying desperately to make it to the front of the crowd before it began. But too soon I heard a horn and then the crowd screamed louder. I finally made it to the front, pushing past a girl and a man. I could see Lexa, just standing a few feet away from me. Black wear paint was painted across her face and she was dressing in her armor. Our eyes met and a million things that I wanted to say to her came to my mind, but I couldn't say anything. Instead, I only pushed off my head and allowed her to fully see me standing there.

"I'm glad you came." She told me, her voice quiet. I barely heard her over the noise from the crowd.

"Me too." I didn't know why, but it was hard for me to say the words. Lexa only turned away, grabbing her sword. I grew so nervous, knowing that it was time. It that moment, I remembered just how dangerous she could be. When I looked past her, I saw that Roan had gotten a lot closer to me. I nearly gasped, ready to warn her, but she was one step ahead of me- and him. She easily reflected his attack, striking him on the back.

Blades began to clash as I watched them dance  across the stage, reflecting each blow and delivering harsher ones to each other. My stomach was filled with notes as I watched Roan get Lexa on her knees. No matter how good of a fighter Lexa was, Roan was twice as bigger and twice as stronger. Lexa grabbed her sword with her other hand and I didn't have to see the blood to know that there was some. She was able to get back on her feet, pushing him backwards. I grew so nervous watching this.

She fell onto her knees after being pushed and her sword went flying. I almost screamed as I watched him kick her down once again, but Lexa was kick. She hit him in his knee as hard as she could, and was able to get back up on her feet. Once she was, she kicked his face and he fell backwards, dropping his sword. She was the one to pick it up and for the first time, I thought that maybe she could win this thing. 

Roan moved to grab one of the spears from the guard, punching the man in his face to get it. Lexa had now two swords and Roan only one. I was still nervous, watching as began to fight once again. Lexa was swirling, a technique that I know came from Anya. I watched in anticipation as he got one of her swords, the metal flinging and making a loud noise as it hit the blood stained concrete. The next sword was ripped from her hand and she was left defenseless and I without words.

He kicked her once in the chest and she fell to the ground. I nearly screamed at her to get up but my tongue wouldn't allow it. Tears began to burn my eyes as the crowd began to boo, and my heart felt as if it was tearing apart. I watched in horror as Roan approached her slowly, holding the spear above her, ready to penetrate. Inches away from her face, inches away from ending her life. My stomach grew so tight I felt as if I was about to throw up.

In that second, I was taken back. All I could think about was standing in that tent, talking to her. I told her that life was about more than just surviving and that we deserve better than that. And then she kissed me. And kissed me again. And I remember not wanting to pull away, but knowing that I had to. And that feeling was how I felt know. Wanting to help her, but knowing that I couldn't.

But Lexa, she didn't need help. She moved at the perfect time, and using her legs, she knocked Roan onto the floor. She got up so quickly I almost didn't see it, and soon Roan was up to. I watched as they fought, Lexa managing to get the spear and knocking him onto his ass by cutting his leg. Then with one blow to his face, he was on his back.

The crowd cheered as the Queen rose from her seat. "Gyon op! Taim yu wan op, taim yu nou na wan op kom hainofa! Yu wan op kom bushhada!" She yelled. 

Roan said something, but I couldn't fear it. Lexa spoke something, and then looked up. She threw the spear and I watched in surprise as it hit the Queen, directly into the heart, and she fell back into her seat. Screams began to fill the crowd and I couldn't tell if they were happy or sad. I just kept my eyes on the woman that wanted to dead, and watched her take her very last breath. Then, I turned to Lexa.

"The queen is dead." She yelled, her voice so deep. "Long live the King!"

*******

I was standing in my bedroom, looking at the starts when there was a knock on my door. I looked behind my shoulder for a second, already knowing, and slightly hoping, that it was the Commander. I haven't seen her since the fight earlier today, she wasn't at dinner and usually we eat together. But she was missing, and I'm assuming it was in order to take control of the ambassadors once again, and kill anyone who wasn't. I'm sure that she had a lot of things to do that would prevent her from joining me at dinner.

Moving to the door, I opened it up to see the Commander. I was taken for surprise, however, because she was not in her usual clothes. Instead, she was dressed in her black nightgown. Her face free of any war paint, and her brown hair wasn't braided back for once. I was surprised to see her like this, knowing that she didn't let anyone see the Commander like that. But in this moment, I didn't think that she was the Commander. She was just Lexa.

"Is this an 'I told you so'?" I asked her, my voice quiet.

"No. This is thank you." She replied, full of seriousness. I nodded slightly before moving over, telling her to come in. 

She walked into the room, and that was when I noticed the bandages on her hand. I remembered how she had cut it earlier, and I grabbed her hand, looking at it. "Sit down. Let me change that for you." I told her, nodding my head towards the long couch that was in my room.

I closed the door behind her, quickly grabbing the few bandages that I kept in her. I then crossed the room and sat down next to her. "That girl that was with Nia, Ontari, what will happen to her?" I asked Lexa as I grabbed her slender hand, undoing the old bandage. I inspected the wound, deciding that it was not deep enough to cause any further damage so long as it was cleaned and bandages properly.

"She won't be back until the conclave after my death." She replied.

I looked up at her. "Do you ever talk about anything other than your death?" I asked her, and then smiled. She smiled herself, it was small and she knew that I was only teasing her. It was quiet while I changed her bandage, wrapping it tightly to prevent any dirt from getting in there. I felt her eyes on me, but I didn't look up.

"Thank you for backing me." She said quietly.

"I was just doing what was right for my people." I told her, not meeting her eyes. I knew in my heart that that wasn't the full truth, only some. I looked up at her as I finished, allowing her to take her hand back. "Your ambassadors betrayed you. How do you move forward?" I asked her.

"They were doing what they believed was right for their people, too." She spoke so quietly, it was hard to hear. I only stared at her, wondering what was going on in her head. After a second, I looked away, embarrassed. I stood up, looking down at her. 

"Reshop, Heda."

Lexa stood up herself and almost smiled as she said, "Goodnight Ambassador."


	7. The Ride Home

 

****

 

**Klarke:**

The morning after the fight, I was awaken by a familiar voice. It belonged to the Commander herself, telling me that we were riding to Arkadia today, and that I should start getting ready for we were leaving soon. So that's exactly what I did, and I was quick to do so. I saw that the sun was barely peaking through trees and I nearly groaned at how early it was. I was hoping to sleep in today; for once I could. Before today, I had too many reasons not to sleep. But I suppose life on the ground meant getting up with the sun, and going to bed way after it does.

When I met with Lexa, she was discussing travel plans with a few of the guards. I hung around in the back, waiting for her to finish with them before I approached her. While I was waiting, I started packing a bag of food for Lexa and I. I knew that the ride to Arkadia would take most of the day, and when we get there, there won't be much food to go around. Plus, I was going to miss the delicious foods that were in the capital. I assumed that I would be coming back with Lexa when this adventure ends, but I wasn't sure.

"They've packed enough food for the both of us, Clarke. There is no need for you to pack some more." I looked up from the bag and met with her green eyes. She looked very tired, and in a way, very young; much younger than she looked yesterday. It was hard to remember that she was older than me, after all.

"Well," I shrugged. "You never know what will happen. What if I get separated from you guys?"

"I would not let that happen." Lexa said quickly. Her cheeks grew a tint of red and she shook her head slightly. "The guards wouldn't either. We should start heading downstairs. We should be leaving soon. Hos op, Clarke."

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "But of course,  _heda_." I said the last part sarcastically and Lexa seemed to notice. I watched her lips tilt up into a small smile and I couldn't help my own smile.

"You will respect your Commander, Clarke." Lexa scolded. One of the guards by the doors scoffed, covering a laugh and Lexa was quick to turn to look at him. "Is something funny, Ontek?" When he remained silence, she nodded. "That's what I thought. Hos, Clarke. We must go."

*******

"Thinking about home?" Lexa asked me as thunder rumbled in the distance. We've been on the road for most of the day, and my back was beginning to ache. We rode mostly in silence, Lexa only speaking when she pointed something out to me or when I asked her a question. I didn't mind the silence, though. It gave me a chance to think about everything that's happened in the past month or so. Between Roan kidnapping me, coming face to face with Lexa, and now, being her... friend? There was a lot to think about and I didn't really know where to begin.

I didn't realize how quiet I was until Lexa said my name. "Thinking about whether Arkadia is home. When I left, it had a different name. I was different." That was another thing I was thinking about. Did I really want to see everyone?

"You left a hero to your people, and you return one." Lexa told me. "The Mountain Slayer returns with the body of the Ice Queen. You bring them justice."

"You bring them justice." I corrected her; she was the one that killed the Queen.

"We bring them peace." Lexa compromised, smiling. I looked over at her and smiled, watching the way her eyes lit up in a different color when she was truly smiling. 

"I suppose you're right." I said as I reached down into the back. I pulled out some of the food that I packed and I could hear a stifled laughter from besides me. "What, Heda?"

"Nothing... nothing. I'm happy that your food sack is coming in handy. I suppose you won't want whatever our hunters bring in later today."

I only rolled my eyes, but a slight smile was brought to my face. "We will see."

We continued riding for a while, in the silence. All that was heard was the footsteps of the horses and the guards that had the unfortunate pleasure of walking all the way to Arkadia. I continued eating the food that I packed, and even offered some to the Commander beside me- who happily accepted my offer. I almost teased her about contradicting herself, and if she wasn't going to eat the food that any hunters brought in. But instead I kept quiet, only eating the bread in my hand and taking in the surroundings around me.

We must have rode another twenty minutes or so in quiet, before we came upon the top of the clearing. I looked over at Lexa, who was already looking at me. She smiled, and I returned it before our moment was interrupted by someone screaming Heda. We both looked over to where the noise came from, and my stomach dropped at the sight in front of me. I looked at Lexa, who's face fell so hard it caused an ache in my heart.

In the field in front of us laid hundreds of grounders, all dead. The smell of the dead bodies was revolting, and when I gasped, I continued to breathe out of my mouth. My stomach twisted in disgust as confusion swept across me, and Lexa too. We slowly began to descent down into the field, the scent getting stronger with each step closer.

As we passed the bodies, I noticed that this wasn't the type of Grounder death I had become accustomed too. There were no open cuts, or throats sit. They were all bullet wounds, which meant only one thing.

"All bullet wounds." I said quietly to Lexa, who was beside me.

In the distance we heard someone call for Lexa. "Heda! Miya snap!" Lexa took off running, true to her character. I moved quickly, running after the brunette, trying to keep up. I dodged dead bodies left and right as I ran up the hill, to where a hut was set up. Guards were walking around the area, and I nearly gasped again when I saw who was laying on the ground.

"Indra!" Lexa yelled, going towards the older woman and kneeling next to her.

"Heda..." She was obviously weak, she could barely talk. I quickly fell to my knees next to Indra and pulled back her armor, looking at the wound. It didn't seem too bad, but she has lost a lot of blood. It was in her shoulder, which wasn't a very dangerous place.

"Okay, I need bandages." I said, trying to stop the bleeding.

Indra hit my hand away. "Stay away. You're one of them."

Lexa told Indra to let me help, and luckily, she did. As I was pouring water on the wound Lexa began to speak again. "Indra, what happened here?"

"They attacked while we slept. Our watch was to the north looking for Azgeda. They killed our archers first. Our infantry couldn't get close. Then they executed the wounded."

"The summit was two days ago. How could Kane do this?" I asked. I could tell Lexa was beginning to grow mad, really really mad. 

"It wasn't Kane. It was Pike." Indra said, looking at me.

My face fell as Lexa asked Indra how she escaped. "Bellamy." She answered.

"Bellamy was with them?" I was shocked. I thought that Bellamy was with me, was with the Grounders?

"He wanted to spare the wounded, but they wouldn't listen. He convinced Pike to let me live so I could deliver a message." Indra explained. I glanced over at Lexa, who's face was red. I began to fear for my own people, and a bit for me as well.

"What message?" Lexa asked.

"Skaikru rejects the coalition. This is their land now. We can leave, or we can die." Indra said, causing my stomach to drop.

Lexa looked over to one of her guards with a fire behind her eyes. "Send riders." She moved to stand up. "I call upon the armies of the twelve clans. In a day's time, we lay waste to Arkadia and everyone within its walls." She yelled.

I stood up, not liking this idea in the slightest. I had to do something. "Wait. Give me time to fix this." I started to walk away, a plan beginning to form inside my head. I needed a plan that wouldn't get my people wiped out. I needed to be able to save Bellamy, and Octavia, and Raven. 

"Hod em op!" Lexa said, causing me to freeze. I turned around to look at Lexa.

"What are you doing?"

"I can't let you leave, Clarke." There was something unreadable on her face, but I couldn't tell what emotion it was.

"So I'm a prisoner now, just like that?"

"Yes." All the emotion was now gone.

"Lexa," I strained. "Let me go to Arkadia."

"No."

"At least let me talk to Kane. We can bring him here." I said, walking past her and kneeling next to Indra. "Indra, at the summit, Kane told me he gave you a radio, a way to signal him. Do it, please." I looked behind me at Lexa, who nodded at the older woman lying on the floor. I took a deep breath and sighed, wondering how I could get my people out of the mess that they created.

*******

Nearly two hours later, I was standing inside of the Ark. I was waiting for Octavia to bring Bellamy to me, so we could talk. I was taking deep breathes trying to calm myself down before I would see him. I was furious, I see red just thinking about Bellamy being a part of this. The Bellamy that I knew would have never done this. He wanted peace just as much as I did- he fought for it. How could he possibly be doing this? And how the hell did Pike become chancellor anyway? Who would vote for someone that wanted to kill the grounders? We were finally at peace...

I think that one of the biggest reasons why I was so upset was because of the tension that this has caused for myself. I feel for the lives that were taken this morning, and for all the lives affected by this. But I'm a selfish person, and I feared for what this meant for me. Lexa and I... we were finally at a place that was good. It wasn't hostile between us anymore, and we could discuss things without fighting for once. Not only that, but my personal safety is at risk here too. What if someone tries to kill me? What if Lexa orders me to die- though I don't think that she would.

The door opened and I looked up, my eyes immediately meeting Bellamy's. So many painfully memories came to my mind as I looked at the man that I knew for so long, that helped me through so much. How could he have changed so much in just a few short months?

"Go easy on Octavia," I said, noticing the look that he had given her before she left. "I had to beg her to get me into camp."

"What are you doing here, Clarke?" He asked, reminding me how deep his voice was.

"We need to talk." I told him.

"Oh, you've decided that, the mighty Wanheda who chose the Grounders over her own people, who turned her bac on us when we came to rescue you. Now you want to talk." He retorted. I blinked back in surprise, not expecting that reaction from him. I shook my head and moved around the table, walking closer to him.

"I came here to tell you that the Ice Nation has paid a price. Justice has been served for the attack on Mount Weather. I came here to tell you it's over." I told him.

"There it is again." He wasn't looking at me. "Why do you get to decide it's over?"

"We did our part."

"We?"

"Lexa and I." I said, trying my best to get him to understand.The problem was solved, and then you let Pike ruin everything."

"Why are you here, Clarke?" He said, walking closer to me. 

"Arkadia needs to make things right or Lexa and the twelve clans will wipe us out." I told him, frustrated. How could he not understand this? We've been to war with the grounders before, we know how this ends.

"Let her try." He only shrugged.

"Please tell me that going to war is not what you want?" I said, not believing the conversation we're having.

"We've been at war since we landed." He said, "At least Pike understands that."

"Pike is the problem!" I nearly yelled. "This isn't who you are."

"You're wrong." Bellamy shook his head. "This is who I've always been, and I let you and Octavia and Kane convince me that we could trust these people when they have shown over and over who they are, and I won't let anyone else die for that mistake." 

"Bellamy, I need you, and we don't have much time."

"You need do?" He asked, and I wished with every ounce of my body that there weren't tears brimming in my eyes.

"Yes, I do. I need the guy who wouldn't let me pull that lever in Mount Weather by myself." I said.

"You left me, you left everyone."

"Bellam-"

"Enough Clarke. You are not in charge here, and that's a good thing because people die when you're in charge. You were willing to let a bomb drop on y sister. Then you made a deal with Lexa, who left us in Mount Weather to die and forced us to kill everyone who helped us, people who trusted me." He yelled. I looked away, blinking back tears as they burned my eyes.

"I... I'm sorry." I choked back; knowing that everything he said was true. I moved to sit down, not being able to stand any longer. "I'm sorry for leaving. I knew I could because they had you."

Bellamy was facing away from me, but turned around when I started to speak. He said as I wiped a few tears away. He knelt down next to me, taking my hand in his. I looked up at him, reading his eyes. "I know we can fix this." I whispered.

"I'm sorry, too." Before I knew what he was doing, he had cuffed my hand to the chair.

"Hey." I said, trying to pull my arm free. "No. Don't. No. Bellamy, don't!"


	8. Jus Drein Jus Daun

**Klarke:**

"Bellamy, you don't have to do this." He was dragging me, with another guard, to whatever fate lies ahead. A part of me wanted to scream for Lexa, but I knew that she wouldn't hear me. Even if she did, I didn't even know if she would help me or not. After what happened, I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't.

"Yes, I do." Bellamy answered me.

"Just let me go!" I yelled, trying to rip my arms away from his grasp.

"Believe it or not, I am doing this for your own good."

Octavia rounded the corner, attacking the guard and leaving him on the floor unconscious. My eyes widened a little at how much she's changed since the last time I saw her. She wasn't Indra's second anymore, she was a warrior. "Believe it or not, I'm doing this for yours." She said as she kicked the guard once again to make sure he was out.

"You can't just hit a guard." Bellamy said, still holding onto me.

"I just did." She glared at her brother. "Let her go."

"I can't do that." Bellamy said as he took a step towards his sister.

I heard footsteps and voices from down the hall and I began to grow nervous- even more so than I already was. "They're coming." I said.

"You should go." Bellamy warned his sister. I didn't like the look that grew on Octavia's face and I knew that I had to act quickly. While Bellamy was distracted, I quickly grabbed the electric wand that Bellamy was carrying and clicked it on, touching it to his side. He immediately fell to the floor, his body shaking as he did so. I reached down and grabbed the keys as Octavia told me to hurry up and to follow her.

We both took off running down the long hallway, and I couldn't help but think back to a time when I was little and running down these hallways with Wells. I only shook the painful memories from my head and kept my pace even with Octavia's, who rounded the corner and ran through a red tarp. Behind it stood my mother and Kane, and I quickly fell into my mom's arms.

"We know what happened. We know what Pike did. Is there anything we can do to prevent a retaliation?" She asked me after our quick hug.

"Abby, hurry." Kane warned as voices could be heard yelling down the hallway.

"We came here to give them Pike." Octavia cut in.

Kane looked around for a second before speaking quietly. "He's the duly elected chancellor. Our people knew what they were voting for. Besides, he has the guards and all the guns. Can't get close to him."

"And that's not the way we do things." My mom said.

"Then maybe it's time we change the way we do things." 

All of a sudden, a siren started going off and an prerecorded message was playing throughout the speakers. "Security breach. Lock down the exits."

"You two need to go now." Kane whispered, trying to usher us out the hidden panel.

"What about Lincoln?" Octavia asked.

Kane sighed. "You want to help him, do it from the outside with this. The range isn't great. Stay close and wait for me to contact you. Now go." Kane gave her a radio, and soon Octavia was running out the door. I turned to face my mother, locking arms.

"Come with me." I begged, wanting her to be safe and far away from Arkadia.

"I wish I could." She frowned. I knew she couldn't, but God did I want her too. She touched my face, running her fingers down my cheeks. "May we meet again."

And with that, I took off running.

*******

Octavia and I ran the entire way to where Lexa was, and it was nightfall by the time we made it back. It was beginning to grow cold, and my fingers were getting numb. I couldn't feel my cheeks but I knew that they were cold with the harsh wind that was blowing on them. I knew Octavia felt the same way; she was typically faster than I was but she was by my side.

My clothes were doing little to protect me, and I longed for how hot it was earlier today. The temperature on the Ground was so different than what we learned in Earth Studies, I never would've expected this. My boats were soaking wet due to the run in the forest and I was beginning to worry about any frostbite that I might have. When I saw the light in the distance, a smile broke out on my face and I started to run faster. It gave Octavia the energy too, and she picked up the pace as well.

We finally made it into the field, and the smell began to fill the area. I started coughing, covering my nose and mouth with my cold hands. They were beginning to crack and turn red, typical due to the cold.

I told Octavia I was going to talk to Lexa, and she went to get something hot to drink from where a few guards were cooking. As I approached Lexa's tent, the guard stopped me from entering, and I looked up at him in shock. I haven't been stopped from entering her tent, room, or whatever, in months. The guard disappeared behind the door and soon came back out, allowing me to enter. I rolled my eyes as I walked in, looking to where Lexa was standing. Indra was sitting in a pile of pelts, near a fire. The immediate warmth began to thaw out my frozen state but I wasn't sure if it would be quick enough.

"Where's Octavia?" Indra asked, looking distastefully at me.

"She's watching over camp, and getting something to eat." I told the woman.

"So," Lexa began. "Tell us, Clarke, how does this end? Have you come up with a way to save your people yet again?" Her voice was hostile and I hated the way that it was directed at me.

"No, only you can do that." I told her honestly. "What happened here was an act of war. Your army was here to help us, and my people slaughtered them. You have every right to respond, every right to wipe us out, or, you can change the way you do things." I offered a solution. I knew that I was grasping at straws here, but I needed to try any and everything that would get my people more time to live.

"Why should she change?" Indra asked. "Blood must have blood."

I looked over at her, "Really? Because from where I stand, the only way that ends is with everyone dead." I then turned to Lexa, "So what kind of leader do you want to be, the kind who kills every chance she gets because that's your way, or the kind who shows the world a better way?" I asked her almost pleadingly.

"You consider letting a massacre go avenged a better way?" Lexa said quietly, and only to me.

"If it ends a cycle of violence, yes. If it brings about peace, yes. Someone has to take the first step. Let it be you." Lexa closed her eyes for a second and walked away, staring into the fire. I took a few steps towards her, continuing. "You say you want peace. Everything you've done was to achieve that, yet here we stand on the brink of another war, a war you could stop."

"Commander, you can't seriously be considering this." Indra interjected as Lexa and I stared at each other.

"I'm not considering it." Lexa said, her usual lack of emotion. "I'm doing it." Relief washed across my body and I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding in.

"Heda, please." Indra said.

"Indra, our people act as if war is easier than peace. If that's so, should we not try and achieve the more difficult goal?"

"Polis will not support you. Titus-"

"Titus is my subject. They're all my subjects." Lexa was mad again. Do you say they will defy me? Will you defy me?" Lexa tested Indra, awaiting an answer.

"I will not." Indra answered.

"Then let it be known." Lexa said, then turning to look at me. "Blood must not have blood." I nodded my head, silently thanking her.

"Guards!" Lexa yelled suddenly, and they quickly came running in. "Take Indra to her tent where she will be more comfortable. Bring her anything she desires and make sure she's safe and well rested for tomorrow's journey." Lexa told them.

The two men did as they were told, helping Indra to her feet. I watched in silence as they helped her leave the tent, the door flap falling behind them as they left. I let out a loud sigh and felt my guard drop, knowing that it was just Lexa and I now. I always felt a little nervous around Indra; I knew that she was a wild animal at heart and she didn't like me, she would kill me in a second if Lexa gave her the word.

I rubbed my hands together and brought them to my mouth, blowing hot air onto them and rubbing them faster. Lexa noticed my actions and took one of hands, inspecting them. "Come sit. You're cold." She said quietly, leading me towards where Indra was lying just a few minutes ago. I sat down closest to the fire, holding out my now free hands and letting the heat from the flames warm them. Lexa was standing above me, and as I was warming my hands, she walked towards where a chest was laying on the ground. I watched in silence as she undid her armor, putting it on the top of the chest. She then unhooked it from the metal part that hung over her shoulder and brought it back over to me, draping it around my shoulders.

"Thanks." I said, looking towards the fire. The cloth was warm after being warned by her all day, and I was thankful for the heat. I went to remove my damp shoes, setting them by the fire. I then set my feet near the fire, allowing them to soak up the heat as well. 

"Are you hungry, Clarke?" Lexa asked me suddenly. "Or perhaps you are still full from that food bag you packed earlier?" I looked over at her, my lips curving up into a smile.

"Was that a joke, Commander?"

"Perhaps." She only smiled.

I laughed quietly, turning back to the fire. "Thank you, Lexa." I said quietly.

"For what?"

"For everything." I told her honestly.

"There is nothing you have to be thankful for, Clarke Kom Skaikru. It is I who owes you everything, I am simply trying to repay my debt." Lexa said.

I frowned slightly, not exactly liking that. I didn't want her to do things for me to only repay a debt. I wanted her to want to do things for me, like I want to do things for her. I know that getting her to drop the massacre was something that benefited my people, but I did truly believe that she could create peace between everyone; her especially. But I didn't like the way that that felt. It made me feel as if I was only here because she was repaying the debt she made at Mount Weather. But I didn't care about that anymore, I had such bigger problems to deal with. I know that if I had bee made the same deal, I would have taken it. She didn't make me do anything.

"Clarke." Lexa said, sensing my silence. "My apologies. I did not mean to offend you. I simply meant that I'm trying my best to honor my word when I said that I would treat your people as my own. Even though what your people did to mine is unforgivable, I will still let them be a part of the coalition if they want to be after Pike is killed, or taken out of power. I did the same to a nation that killed my weakness, I will do the same for yours."

"I know how that feels." I mumbled, rubbing my cold hands together. Lexa reached across and grabbed my hands in hers, and her warm hands soon engulfed mine. I looked up at her, into her green eyes. I could see actual flames in her eyes for once, and I found that ironic.

"How what feels?" She asked me quietly.

"Having someone be taken from you like that, and then having to forgive the person for it." I told her, unable to look away.

"Ha?" 

"My father. He was an engineer on the Ark, where I'm from. There was an oxygen problem, we were running out of air. My father wanted to tell the public, but my mom refused. She told Jaha and my father was killed for it. They floated him, I watched the whole thing." I said, blinking back tears. I suddenly felt cold again, but not because of the temperature. 

"That's why I was locked up in solitary confinement. They didn't want me to tell anybody. When they sent the hundred to the ground, that's why I was there."

"That's awful."

"My best friend Wells, he took the blame for it because he didn't want me to hate my mother. So he had me hate him, so I wouldn't hate her. And boy, I hated him. I didn't find out until the day before he was killed." I felt a tear fall and I quickly wiped it away, and then allowing Lexa to take my hand again.

"Did one of my people kill him?"

I shook my head. "No, no. A girl, Charlotte. She killed him... I miss him." I told her, blinking back tears. "Can I tell you something?" I asked her.

"Of course."

"I was really scared earlier. When I was at Arkadia, I tried to be strong. But Bellamy said so many awful things to me. And he was gonna take me to Pike, and he would've killed me. I know it, I would be dead right now if Octavia didn't get there in time. And this sounds so stupid but I wanted to yell for you because I knew that you would have gotten me out of there."

"I would have killed Bellamy." She deadpanned. I laughed quietly, taking y hands back and wiping away the tears the spilled down my cheeks. I felt silly for crying in front of the Commander.

"Thanks, Lex." I said through a small laugh. I looked up at her, laughing again when I saw that she had raised her eyebrows.

"I cut off the tongue of the last person who called me that. I am the Commander, and as I said today in Polis, I demand respect." Lexa said seriously, though I could tell that she was kidding. 

I smiled, shaking my head slowly. "I should probably go to my tent, it's getting late. And I'm going to have to start a fire to warm it up for a little while." I told her.

Lexa nodded slowly, before looking up at me. "Why don't you stay here for the night? I have the fire and all the candles, you'll be warm. Besides, you shouldn't be alone after the day that we've had."

"Are you sure?" I asked her, surprised by her offer. I never would have suspected the Commander to be asking to share a tent with me.

"Do not make me order you to do so." She said it so seriously, sometimes it was hard to tell if she was kidding.

"Right." I nodded, "Remind me to teach you how to properly joke around tomorrow."

"My joking skills are hardly your concern." Lexa said as she stood up, walking over towards the chest that was on the floor. She pulled out two pelts and then came back over to me. "Here, you can use this one. It's warmer."

"I'm okay, really. You can take it." I told her as I reached into my shirt, unclasping my bra and pulling it through the bottom of my shirt. I didn't notice Lexa staring until I looked up, and then blushed and looked away. I grabbed the pelt and pulled it over my body, lying back. The bundles of blankets underneath me created a nice place to sleep, and I was glad that I agreed staying here. It was much more comfortable than one pelt and the cold ground.

Lexa laid down next to me, a couple feet away but still close enough that we would be sharing a bed if we had one. I sighed in content and looked up at the top of the tent, watching the way the flames shadows danced across the surface. "Do you think that I'm a bad person? Or that people die when I make decisions?" I asked her quietly.

"You are the most interesting person I have ever met, and no, people do not die when you make decisions. You save people, Clarke. Do not listen to what he said, he is only a fool."

I nodded, and sighed again. Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on the sounds of the crackling firewood. I heard movement from next to me, and jumped a little bit when Lexa's hand met mine. "Goodnight, Ambassador."

"Reshop, Heda."


	9. The Hunt and the Hunted

**Klarke:**

That next morning, I was awake before Lexa. For once I was awake before the great Commander, and it allowed me to look her over as she slept peacefully. She looked so much younger than she did when she was awake, but I guess that nearly everyone looks that way when they're sleeping. 

Her brown hair was surrounding her face, creating a frame. She was completely makeup less, war paint and all. She was just laying there in her clothes, sleeping peacefully. I didn't want to wake her up, so I quietly grabbed my boots from near the ashes and slipped them onto my feet. They were dry, thank God, and I moved to stand up. Lexa didn't stir, and so I carefully draped my blankets on her. 

My legs were cramping from not being used in a little while, and I decided that it would be a good idea to walk around a little bit before I went back to riding. We would be heading back to Polis today and I knew that we'd be on the road for a while. When I left the tent, I saw that the sun was beginning to peak out from the sun. There were a few guards walking around, but mostly everyone was asleep. I wasn't sure where Octavia was at the moment, but I had a feeling that she wasn't sleeping either. 

There was dew on the ground, and when I breathed my breathe came out in a white puff. But I could already feel it in the air, it would be a hot day. I looked towards where the guards were standing and I noticed that they were arguing. I quickly walked over to the men, looking between the few of them. They noticed my presence and immediately stopped arguing.

"Chit don kom au?" I asked them, wondering what had happened.

"Bis." One of them said, nodding his head towards the fire pit. "An animal got to our food, we think it was a puana or something. We have nothing to eat, we will have to hunt before we leave." The guard told me.

"I see," I mumbled. I was hungry, starving actually due to the lack of food I ate yesterday. "I'll go too."

"Wanheda, we cannot allow that. Heda wou-"

"Heda is not here, and nor is she going to object to me wanting to do what I want to do. If she asks where I am, Uvak, you can tell her I went hunting with you all. One person should stay here to protect the Commander and whoever else is here."

No one objected, though I didn't think that anyone would. I doubted it, really. They wouldn't object to anything I did, in fear of their Heda. I was untouchable to them, in fear of death. I knew that Lexa would not take anybody saying no to me lighting, being that she holds me on such a pedestal that it's hard to compare myself with anyone else.

The thought of waking the Commander up to come hunting with me was pleasing, but I knew that she needed her rest. She carried such a weight on her shoulders and she should have time for herself. Besides, when she awakes, I will be back and hopefully with food. I'm going to hope that the guards and I will be successful with this hunt, being that we were all hungry. 

So twenty minutes later, I was quietly walking with my knife in my hand. The guards and I split up, hoping that we would be able to catch more alone. I was hoping that they were right, and as the sun was now shining down in between the trees, the woods seemed to come alive. Birds were chirping, and deer in the distance were roaming. I knew that I wouldn't be able to carry one of those beasts, so I focused more so on any rabbits or squirrels that came may way.

It must have been a half an hour after we had left when I caught my first kill of the day. It was an impressively large rabbit, and my thoughts drifted to what Lexa might say if she saw that I caught it myself. Perhaps she'll finally agree with me when I saw I'm not the girl that she used to know. I had left the rabbit in my bag, it heavier than it was before. I continued my hunt, catching a few smaller animals.

I wasn't keeping  track of time, but I knew that it had been a while since I left camp to go hunting. The sun was higher in the sky and I was assuming it was nearly nine o'clock. I was sitting by a small stream, cupping the water and bringing it to my lips to drink. I then rubbed the cool water on my face, ridding any of the dirt or sweat that was there. I heard a stick crack and I turned around quickly, looking around the area. Nothing could be seen, it was as peaceful as it was before I sat down. 

I turned back to the water, reaching in before I heard the crunch of leaves from behind me. "Don't move." Something was pressed against the side of my head and I had a feeling that it was a knife. I dropped the water that was cupped in my hands and held them up, showing that I meant no harm. "Stand up." It was a deep voice, a man's. 

I did as I was told, standing slowly with the knife pressing against my head. I felt the tip of it scratch my head and I winced in pain, knowing that it was bleeding. "Just put the knife down. I'll go, and you won't ever see me again."

"Not so fast, Wanheda." The man said, grabbing my arm and turning me around. I looked at the face of my captor and nearly gasped in surprise. His right eye was swollen over, or it was naturally like that. I could faintly see his eye behind the skin, and his upper lip was so far back it was barely a lip at all.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

"Let's go." He said, moving and grabbing my neck. His front pressed against my back and I was pushed forward. I looked down, seeing that his knife was no longer on my skin. In the blink of an eye, I grabbed his wrist and twisted him around. His fingernails cut my neck and I winced as a stinging sensation began to throb in my neck. 

The man grew angry at my attack, and quickly broke his hand free from my hold. He moved quickly, hitting me in the face with his hand. I fell backwards as blood began to flow from my nose, and coughing as the wind was knocked out of me. The man climbed on top of me, grabbing the knife and holding it above my head. I reached up, grabbing his wrists and trying my hardest to push his arms away from me. If I gave way, the knife would hit my face, killing me. I nearly screamed in frustration as I tried my best to push the man off of me, but it was no use. 

"Clarke!" Someone called my name and then within a second, and arrow flew into the chest of the man on top of me. He gasped in shock and pain before dropping the knife, it falling onto the side. I watched in horror as his eyes rolled back and he fell, the tip of the arrow sliding into my collarbone. I screamed in agony as pain overtook every emotion. 

Soon the dead body was pulled off of me and when I looked up, Octavia's face came into view. She looked down at me and knelt down, trying to stop the bleeding. "Y-you need to put pressure on it." I choked out, coughing as blood started dripping into my mouth. 

"You need to stand, we have to get you back to the camp." Octavia panicked, trying her best to help me. I tried my hardest and with her help, I was soon standing on my feet. Octavia was holding most of my weight and the warm blood started spilling down my shirt.

"Help! Help!" Octavia started screaming as she led me up the hill. I was growing too tired to stand on my own and even with Octavia's help, I still feel onto my knees. I started coughing, blood dripping onto the grass as I knelt over. Hands grabbed me, and pulled me up. I looked at who was holding me, and recognized the face of a guard. 

"We need to get her to camp fast, we need to stop the bleeding from her chest." Octavia yelled, ushering the guard to move. 

I didn't know how long we ran for, I couldn't tell. I was in so much pain I could feel it in my finger tips, and I couldn't tell what was happening and what wasn't. I knew that I was losing blood really fast and I knew that I needed to get to the camp and let a healer treat me before time ran out. I was just hoping that we could get to the camp fast.

-

My eyes opened and I looked around, watching as trees blurred by. Panting was heard overhead and when I looked up, I recognized the guard. I took a deep breath as my senses came to and that was when I noticed Octavia running ahead. Memories began to come back and with it, the pain. I groaned as it overtook my body once again and when I did, the guard started to speak.

"Clarke, I believe you blacked out. We are almost back to the camp. We stopped and tied my shirt around your chest to stop the bleeding. It was Octavia's thought." He told me as he ran.

I looked down, noticing the make do bandage around my chest. My shirt was gone as well, leaving behind my bra and the bandage. There was blood all over my stomach and the top of my pants and I knew that it would be weeks before my skin wasn't the color of blood anymore.

Octavia began yelling for the healer as we approached the camp. I looked towards her, watching as people began to yell for the healer. I looked around, looking for her, but I couldn't see Lexa. Finally, I watched her walk out of the tent, looking around quickly before she saw me. She was too far away to see her face, but it wasn't even a second before she took off, running towards us. 

"What happened?" She yelled as she approached us.

"Lexa..." I mumbled incoherently. I tried to reach out for her but my arm was so sore, I hissed in pain when I tried to move it.

"Shh Clarke, I am here." She said to me, moving quickly along side with the guard. "Octavia, what has happened? We need the healer, go get him and if he is not here within ten seconds he will suffer the same fate that she does!"

I was brought into a tent, the sun being blocked from me. Soon, the soft fur of the pelts were felt on my back and I took a deep breath. Lexa was by my side, screaming something that I couldn't understand. Soon, hands were pressing against the open wound and I screamed as pain began to fill every part of my body. The hands belonged to the healer and when I looked, his harsh brown eyes were looking down at me. 

"Just breathe, Clarke." Lexa said to me, I think that she took one of my hands but I couldn't tell. "Everything will be alright." My eyes got heavy and I felt myself slipping back into unconsciousness. Lexa yelling was the last thing I heard.

"If she dies, as do you!" 

*******

"How is she?"

"The healer did the best he could, and he was able to stop the bleeding. She's alive, but she is sill knocked out."

"Do you know when she will be awake?"

I tried to move my lips, but they were too heavy, and I was too tired.

*******

"Clarke, please wake up."

"Please, I..."

"Your people need you, Clarke. You must wake up."

*******

My eyes opened slowly, and when I looked up, I noticed the familiar brown of the tent. My eyes were so heavy and I didn't remember what I was doing, or when I had fallen asleep. It was then that something cold pressed against my stomach. I jumped in surprise, and then groaned when pain spread throughout my left shoulder. I took a deep breath and looked at who was by my side. She was kneeling next to me, a bowl of something by her side. She held a wet cloth in her hand as she stared at me, her face almost white. 

Lexa dropped the cloth and reached down, grabbing onto one of my hands. "Shh, Clarke. You are okay, you are safe."

I licked my lips, flinching when the most disgusting taste overtook my mouth. "What happened?" I asked her, reaching to touch my lips with my other hand. Dried blood was cracked across them and I scrunched my noise in disgust.

Lexa moved over, running the cloth across my lips. I looked up at her, noticing how close she had gotten. She must have noticed too, because she quickly backed away a few inches. When she finished she sat back, and looked over me. "Do you not remember what had happened to you?" She asked me. 

"It's a little blurry, my head really hurts. How long was I out?" I asked the Commander. 

"A few hours, it's nightfall."

"Okay. Lexa listen to me, if I start slurring my words or I can't remember anything, that means my head was injured and I'll have to get to my mom. I need you to pay attention to it for me, okay?" I asked her, moving to sit up. 

Lexa nodded and grabbed my arm, "Are you sure you should be getting up?" 

"It's just my arm, and besides, I need to stretch my arm. I don't want to keep it in the one position."

She didn't argue, and soon I was standing up and walking around. My head was still feeling a little bit fuzzy, but I didn't want to be lying down anymore. I, instead, walked around the room as memories of earlier came to mind. I couldn't believe that I had left myself open to an attack like that, it was an idiotic and foolish move. I guess I was just excited to be out on my own and go hunting- something I haven't done in a while. I took a deep breath and walked towards the box that was sitting on the floor, using my good arm to find something to wear. 

It hurt like a bitch trying to get my arm into the sleeve, but after a few seconds I was able to. It didn't hurt so much if I kept my arm straight done, but I knew that it would take some time to heal. I sat down on the closed chest and looked around the tent. Lexa was standing now, looking at me. I knew that she was worried about me, I could see it in her eyes. But I didn't need her to worry about me, nor did I want to. 

"I'm okay Lexa, you don't have to worry about me. I'm okay." I told her, nodding my head slightly. 

"I am sorry, Clarke. You should have woken me up, I would have been there to help you." She said calmly. She wasn't mad for once, instead, she only looked concerned. 

"I wanted to go hunting on my own, and besides, how was I supposed to know?"

"I suppose you're right." Lexa said as she walked closer to me. I looked up at her, staring into her green eyes. "I was scared for you." She whispered. 

"I'm sorry I scared you."

"I thought you were going to die." She mumbled. 

"Ai gonplei nou ste odon nowe." 


	10. May You Live Forever

**Klarke:**

In the days that followed my injury, we rode back to Polis. Once returning to the capital, Lexa was back in her usual Commander mode. I haven't been able to spend much time with her in the past few days, though, which saddened me, and I hoped her too. I've spent most of my time in my room, allowing my injuries to heal and trying to think of what to do about my people. They were being reckless and dangerous, Bellamy especially. It was painful to think of the man I had called my best friend. I knew that something must have happened to him when I was gone, he changed. He was never life this, not before. I know that peace was something that was important to him; to both of us. But his actions aren't showing me that, and I'm afraid that it'll lead to his death. 

I was hoping that Pike would soon be relieved of whatever duties that he believes he has. I knew that that was important in order for the the Sky People and the Grounders try to restore peace once again. A part of me wished that I was there to help everyone, but I couldn't be there. Pike would have be executed and that would only cause a war between the Grounders and the Sky People- even though war is already brewing. 

A week after we had returned to Polis was the first day that Lexa was able to join me for some time together. I had been in my room most of the day, sleeping off my injuries- though they were almost healed- and I didn't have anything better to do. We had lunch together and then moved to the couch. Lexa had been going over strategies to rebuild a village that had built down, but in the hour she spent trying, she fell asleep. Resting peacefully on the couch, I carefully crafted her face in a notebook full of drawings that I had done. I found it easy to draw from a model that I liked so much, it was much easier to do so. 

But soon she started squirming and I looked up immediately, watching as she did so. She woke up with a start, looking around quickly and breathing heavily. I quickly set my notebook down and moved to sit next to her, placing my hand on her thigh. 

"Hey, hey, it's okay. You're okay." I soothed her, trying to calm her down. She continued to breathe heavily and put her hands on her head, her elbows on her knees. She took a deep breath and sighed loudly as she tried to calm herself down. "What were you dreaming about?" I asked her curiously. 

"Commanders before me," She breathed out. "They speak to me in my sleep. I saw their deaths as war, at the hands of an assassin." She looked so troubled, so scared in that moment I knew that I would do anything in order to help her. 

"It was just a nightmare." I tried comforting her. 

"No. No. It's a warning. They think I'm betraying their legacy. Jus drein jus duan has always, always been the way of our people." She looked at me then, staring into my eyes. 

"Listen to me. A cease fire is not a betrayal. What you did on that battlefield stopped a war. Your legacy will be peace." I told her. She only looked at me before standing up, grabbing the papers that had fallen. I watched as she walked around the small table and to my horror, noticed my drawings on the chair I had been sitting on. 

"Oh, um." I said, suddenly embarrassed in front of her. I didn't want her to see it. "That's um, it's not finished yet." That didn't make things any better, but I didn't know what else to say. She looked up at me but before she could say anything, there was a knock at the door. Our moment was gone and I was thankful for the interruption. 

"Enter." Lexa called, setting my drawing down and walking to whomever entered the room. I quickly grabbed the picture and slid it into my bag, keeping it hidden. 

"Pardon me, Heda." Titus said, "I didn't realize you were busy." He said as a few guards set a huge box down in the middle of the room. Titus looked between Heda and myself, and when I looked at Lexa, I could see that she was angry. 

"Are you going to tell me what's in the box, or not?" She asked, very hostile. I knew that she was upset at our interruption, so I almost felt bad for the way she was talking to Titus. Almost.

"Forgive me." He said, turning to nod towards the box. "This is a gift from King Roan of Azgeda for Wanheda. The messenger said this is both proof of Azgeda's loyalty to the coalition and an answer to a yet-unanswered question." He told us. Then he turned to the guards. "Open it."

I walked over towards the box, interested in knowing what Roan had sent for me. The guards opened the box easily, pulling the top up. When the inside was relieved, my eyes widened at what was inside. A man was lying there, tied up. He looked up, and I saw the blood and bruises all over his face. It was then that I recognized him and my eyes widened. 

"Emerson." I whispered.

His own eyes widened and before I knew what was happening, he rolled out of the box and quickly attacked me, all while screaming. I fell to the floor and yelled in pain as began hitting my stomach- the best he would with the chains around his hands. 

Lexa was quick to respond, yelling at the guards. "Stop him! Get him out of here! Put him in a cage, now!" Emerson was lifted off of me, and I rolled onto my side, coughing. I felt hands on my back and when I looked, Lexa was kneeling next to me. I was quick to stand up, though, brushing off her hands and walking away from her. 

"I'm fine." I snapped, staring at the man who just attacked me as he was dragged from the room.

"What was that?" Screamed Lexa and I looked over, watching as she directed her anger towards Titus. 

"Heda I-"

"Did you not know that there was a prisoner in there? Or are you saying you are not as smart as you claim to be?" Lexa said. Then holding up her hand to get him to stop speaking. "Leave us!"

Titus only stared at her for a second before leaving the room quickly. Once the doors were shut Lexa was by my side, putting her hand on my back. "Are you okay?" She asked me quietly and I only nodded. My mind was moving too fast and I couldn't think of words to say. 

"I think I want to be alone right now, I need to think." I told her. 

"Clark-"

"Please, Lexa."

"Very well, Clarke. I will leave you alone, but please come to me when you no longer want that."

 *******  

A few hours later, Lexa had summoned me.I had spent the last few hours thinking about what I should do with Emerson and what would happen. I wanted him to die for what he had done to me, to my mother, and to my people. I wanted him to suffer the death of a thousand cuts. I hated that man with every fiber in my being and I wanted every day thing to come his way. But, blood must not have blood. How am I supposed to tell Lexa otherwise when I won't follow what I say.

When I arrived at the throne room, Lexa  was sitting on  her chair, discussing quietly with Titus. I only caught the last of their conversation, but I didn't pay any mind to it. "You wanted to see me, Commander?" I asked her. 

"Yes," She said, turning to look at me. She took a few steps closer to me. "I need to discuss the fate of The Last Mountain Man." I had a feeling that's what she wanted to talk to me about. 

"I believe that he deserves death." Titus said from behind us. Lexa turned to look at him, and from the look on Titus' face I knew that she was mad. 

"She can speak for herself, Titus." 

"Titus is right." I spoke, getting the attention from Heda. 

"You see? It is human nature to need vengeance. Only once satiated can there be peace. That is our way." He walked over to us. 

"That was our way," Lexa corrected him. "Clarke?" She said quietly, seeming to ask a question. "So blood must not have blood applies only when it is my people who bleed?"

"No," I shook my head. "Titus is right, he should die. But who would I be, if I were to tell you that. He should be banished for his crimes." A hint of a smile appeared on her lip, all anger and confusion gone from her face. 

"She only says this to please you, Heda." Titus said only to her. 

"Are you accusing her of lying to her Commander?" Lexa turned to him. When he remained silent, she nodded. "As I thought. Perhaps you could take this as a lesson, Clarke is loyal to her Commander."

*******

Hours later, the beat of a drum  began to play. I was standing tall on the side of the room, staring at Emerson. He was tied shirtless to a pole, his mouth gagged. We all stood around in him fact, waiting for the Commander to make her appearance. Tonight, Emerson would face his banishment- though unknown to him. Unknown to everyone but Lexa, Titus, and I.

The doors to the room finally opened and Lexa walked through them.  I couldn't ignore the strong pull that wanted me to go over to her and stand next to her, to be with her. But instead, I stayed where I was. I watched as my Heda moved around Emerson, strong and powerful, before going over to her throne. She raised her hand, all music and voices stopped. The only sound that could be heard was the flickering of the candles and fire. Lexa then spoke in her native tongue, telling the people in the room of what is to come tonight and why. 

She then turned to me, "Wanheda." Her voice was strong and there was no falter. She handed the guard a knife, who then brought it to me as I approached him as well. "Vengeance is yours."

I stared at Emerson before speaking the words that left everyone confused. "No."

"I don't know if your death would bring me peace," I said to the man and only to him. "I just know I don't deserve it."

Titus came down to stand next to me, "This man must die. If Skaikru will not take his life, then Heda should."

"Heda will speak for herself." Lexa snapped, referring herself in the third person. "Enough, Titus."

"What the hell is this?" Emerson asked, his face beginning to grow red. 

I only looked at him, shaking my head. "I wouldn't be killing you for what you've done. I'd be killing you for what I've done. Ai ron disha hef em sonraun op. Jus nou drein jus daun." He started screaming in anger, loudly. I could tell that he was trying to reach for me, but I did not falter. Instead, I stood tall and strong as everyone around me protested. 

"Hosh op!" Lexa spoke loudly. "Emo  kripon kom maun nou na ge gada in kom won hef. Wanheda knows this. Her actions show us a promise for a new future, a world in which violence does not always answer in violence, a world in which our children can flourish without the shadow of death." 

She continued. "This prisoner is banished from my land. He will live, but he will live with the ghosts of those has has lost, haunted until the end of his days by the knowledge that he is the last of his kind."

I took a step closer to him, looking into his teary eyes. "May you live forever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has read and left kudos for this story. It means so much. I also just want to apologize for any incorrect translations- I'm trying my best :)
> 
> Also, as well all know Lexa and Clarke have sex in the show and I am following the timeline of the show. So that means that there will be sex in the book. However, I was just wondering if I should include (write) it into the story line? Please let me know what you guys think by commenting! xx


	11. The Blockade

****

 

**Klarke:**

I watched with a smile on my face as Lexa sat at her throne, talking about the day. The young natblidas were standing opposite of me and they all looked happy to be here, as they always were, when they were with Lexa. I seemed to share the same feelings with them. But I couldn't be thinking about that know, Lexa was stressing about the importance of the day and I didn't want to miss a word that she said. 

"We gather here on this Ascension Day to honor the commanders that came before me, those who live on within me as I will live on within one of you." Lexa spoke directly to the children. 

Before she could continue, there was movement from behind the doors. Men were heard yelling and soon the door opened, allowing them to spill into the room. A man walked into the room, using a cane to help him do so. My eyebrows foiled together in confusion and I looked over at Lexa, who was speaking to Titus. 

"Titus, what is this?" She asked him. 

"Something you need to hear, Heda." He replied. 

A man from the back pushed forward a prisoner, and it took me a second, but soon I recognized it as Octavia. I took a few steps forward as I said her name, causing her to look at it. The man in the front started speaking to Lexa, but I paid no mind to it as I stared at Octavia. 

"What crimes? What happened?" Lexa asked. 

"Skaikru attacked their village, because their warriors were lost when your people massacred the army we had sent to protect you, their village was defenseless." Titus said to me. 

Soon people started yelling and screaming and chaos began to grow in the room. A knife went flying and in order to protect the Heda, the guards began to escort her out of the room. Lexa looked over at me as she walked, holding out her hand and grabbing my arm. I walked with her as we left the room in a rush.

"How dare you bring this to me on Ascension Day?" Lexa yelled as we walked into her bedroom, one of the only other rooms on the floor. 

"I did not bring this here, Heda. You did. Against my advice, you made Skaikru the thirteenth clan. They rejected this, murdering hundreds of your people, and yet on the very field where they died, you decided to forgive the killers, but his provocation is proof. Blood must not have blood has failed."

Lexa turned to look at me, "Clarke?"

"Clarke's opinion in this matter is not exactly unbiased." Titus argued.

"Titus is right," I said, looking at only Lexa. "I would do anything to save my people. You know that, but I know them. Not everyone agrees with Chancellor Pike. Kane doesn't. Octavia doesn't."

"Your people did not vote for Kane." Titus said. 

"Some of them did," I retorted. "We need to give them time to see that they made the wrong choice and fix it."

"And you believe your people will take him out themselves?" She asked me. I nodded as Titus spoke. 

"If they don't, if instead they use this time to plan their next attack, we must act now, Heda. Make an example of the thirteenth clan. Show the other twelve what happens when they defy you. You got them back when you killed the Ice Queen, but the coalition is still fragile."

*******

I walked into Lexa's bedroom, looking around for her. She was sitting in front of her bed, her eyes closed. She looked so peaceful, I couldn't believe that just an hour ago someone tried to kill her. 

"Someone tried to kill you today. How are you this calm?" I asked her. She opened her eyes but didn't look at me. 

"You're angry about the kill order."

"Yes." I answered honestly. 

"How else would you have me enforce a blockade?"

I didn't answered her question, I just asked my own. "So when do we have to leave?"

Lexa took a breath and moved to stand up, straight across from me. She took a few steps closer to me and I couldn't deny the pull that I felt towards her. I didn't wanna go to Arkadia, this was my home. I wanted to stay here in Polis, with her. 

"We may be drawing a line, but who's to say you can't choose to stay on this side of it?" Lexa asked. Just then, I could hear Titus yelling at someone from outside the bedroom. 

"I know someone who might." I said, looking at Lexa. She half smiled, and I couldn't help but return it. The doors opened and Titus walked in, ruining whatever moment that was shared between us. 

"Wanheda, blockade goes into effect at dawn. I've made arrangements for you to take one of our fastest horses." He told me, bowing his head slightly. 

"Thank you."

"Actually," Lexa said, causing me to look at her. "I've asked Clarke to stay in Polis as my guest."

"Clarke, will you excuse us?" Titus asked me. I looked at Lexa quickly before leaving the room. 

I walked down the hallway towards my own bedroom, knowing that I had to leave. I wanted to stay here more than anything else in the world, it would be so easy. To stay here and... be with Lexa. Be her Ambassador, and maybe, maybe more. I don't know what would happen if we were given more time to be together. 

When I reached my bedroom, I walked in and shut the doors behind me. I wiped away a few tears that had escaped and moved to sit on my bed. A part of me wanted to run back into Lexa's room and tell her that I would stay, tell her that I wanted to be with her, more than anything. I really did want to be with her more than anything. I didn't care about anything else at this point. The only thing standing in the way of it was my people. I needed to be there for them more than anything else, even if that meant not being with Lexa. Not seeing her every morning, eating breakfast across from those vibrant green eyes. Or rolling my eyes when she grew angry at something, and then would explode in a fire-y way at Titus. I would do anything to stay with Lexa, but it just wasn't in the cards. 

*******

I knocked on the door before opening it slowly. Lexa wasn't standing in her bedroom, and so when I walked in, I started to look for her. I needed to tell her that I was leaving, I needed to say goodbye to her. It was going to be the hardest thing that I could do, and I wasn't even remotely prepared to do so. I was breathing heavily as I tried not to cry. The pain that could already be felt in my chest was even more powerful than when I had the wound, and I knew it would only get worse. 

Continuing to look for her, I decided that she must be in the back room, so I turned to start there. Just as I was passing her bed, she turned the corner. She was running her hands through her hair, pulling it to one side. She stopped when she saw me, taking slower steps. I knew in a second that she knew why I was here. Her face fell and I could see it in her eyes. My heart ached and I felt as if I was about to breakdown on the inside. 

"When do you leave?" Lexa asked quietly. 

"Now." I whispered. She seemed a little surprised but she nodded her head. I took a few steps closer to her until I was only a foot or two away. "I'm sorry." And I was, times a million. 

"Don't be. You have to go back, they're your people. That's why I..." She stopped. I looked up at her, waiting for her to finish what she was going to say. "That's why you're you." I didn't think that that was what she was going to say, but I didn't question it. 

"Maybe someday, you and I will owe nothing more to our people." I offered up, hoping to make light of the situation. 

"I hope so." She only whispered with a small nod. I watched as she reached out her arm, and I took it, grabbing her forearm. I looked up at her as she spoke. "May we meet again." I only stared at her, thinking about how much I wanted to meet again. How much I didn't even want to say goodbye. It was too hard to say goodbye with so much left unsaid. In that moment, I just needed her to know that. I needed to know that myself. 

I slowly took a step closer, reaching out and holding the back of her neck. Pulling her closer, I closed the distance between our lips and pressed mine fully onto hers. The familiar feeling of her lips reminded me of the day in the tent so long ago, only this time, there was so much more there. I could feel every single emotion that she felt through the kiss. All of her energy was pushed into it. I felt her hands on my neck, touching me so gently I almost didn't feel her at all. 

She was the first to pull away, and when I looked at her, I could see the tears falling on her cheeks. My heart was beating so fast it felt as if it were about to beat out of my chest, and I couldn't stop myself from kissing her again. I needed it, it was like air to me. The kiss was faster this time, and Lexa moved her hands from my neck to my waist, kissing me faster and faster. I brought my hands up to the back of her neck, untying the top knot of her shirt and letting it fall to the sides. 

Her hands slipped into the sides of my shirt, her hands cold on my skin. It would have brought goosebumps to my skin if there had not been any. There were so many things that I wanted to say to her in that moment, but the best thing to do was to show her. 

We moved backwards towards her bed as we kissed, and Lexa moved to sit down. I looked down at her, staring into the tearful eyes that were full of so much emotion. That wall that was built up inside of her seemed to have collapsed, because I could see every emotion that she was feeling. I could see the pain in her eyes that my leaving is bringing to her, and I could see how much she felt for me. I could see the love in her eyes and I could see how much she wanted this; I could see that she wanted this as much as I did, maybe even more. 

*******

I ran my fingertips down the side of her arm, creating goosebumps as I did so. I was tracing the tattoos that adorned her body, in awe of them. Her naked self was lying on her side, her back facing me. I was able to see all the tattoos that she had on her body for once, and I loved every single second of it. But I knew that it would only last so long, and I knew that I had to get going. I wanted to stay with her in this bed more than anything, the soft skin of her bum against my legs, how warm her body was. Everything about this situation felt so right to me, I never wanted to leave. 

"If Octavia and I are gonna get behind the blockade by dawn-"

"Shh." She cut me off, not having it. I should have suspected she was just as stubborn in bed as she was out of it. I couldn't help but smile though, knowing that she wanted me here just as much as she did. 

I instead turned my attention towards her back, tracing the circles that were inked into her skin. "This is beautiful." I whispered. 

"I got it on my Ascension Day, a circle for every Natblida that died when the Commander chose me." She said so quietly. 

"Seven circles. I thought you said there were nine novitiates at your conclave?" I asked her. 

"There were."

"What happened to number eight?" I asked her. She turned around, using the cover to cover herself up. I found it adorable that she would after what we had just done. Now on her back, she looked to the side towards me. The sun hitting her face over my head, lighting up her beautiful green eyes. I couldn't help but stare at her beauty. 

"Can we talk about something else?" She asked me. 

I only smiled. "We don't have to talk at all."

A smile was brought to her face as she moved to her side. She held onto the side of my neck and pressed her lips against mine. I couldn't help but smile through the kiss and I felt her smiling too. In that moment, everything seemed to be perfect.


	12. ~ Quick Author's Note ~

**Hello!**

**I'm sorry to interrupt the flow of the story but I just wanted to say something really quickly. Thank you to every one who has read this so far, and commented or left kudos. It means so much to me so thank you. I also want to say that this will be a part of a series so yayyy!**

**It's called Parallel and I want to announce the title and description of the second book:** _The Shadow of the Moon_

_Two universes, two lives, one love._

_The first was a story of a girl who could have ruled a thousand suns, but bowed before a single star._

_The parallel; a story of a girl who couldn't have ruled a thousand stars, but wanted to rule the sun._

_Lexa and Clarke, Elyza and Alicia. Two different people, two different stories, one outcome._

_Who will survive?_

**Okay so there you guys go! I'm really excited about it.**

**Also one last quick thing, we obviously all know what happens after Clarke and Lexa finally show their feelings for each other. Up until this point, I have followed the story line very very closely so I haven't had a lot of originality to it. But starting from this point, there will be more of my own creativeness in here and I'm excited to show you all it.**

**Now here's a picture of our beautiful Commander to make up for interrupting the flow of the story :)**

**\- Amanda xx**

 

p.s ok also fuk jason

 


	13. The Spirit of the Commander

**Klarke:**

I fell back onto the bed, breathing heavily and looking up at the ceiling. I felt her moving from the bottom of the bed, her cold hands on my hips and then my shoulders. Her face came into view and when my eyes focused on her, I couldn't help but smile. She only leaned down and pressed her lips against mine, kissing me softly before moving away. I groaned in protest, feeling cold without her body next to me. I grabbed the blanket as she climbed from the bed, and covered myself. My eyes slide over to her, watching as she began to dress. I couldn't help but admire her body, the curve of her back and her long legs.

With every part of my body, I longed to stay. I longed to be here with her, never leaving this bed. I wanted to stay here and have sex with her for the rest of my life. But I knew that I couldn't, I knew that I had to get back home to Arkadia and figure out a way to get my people out of the mess that they've created.

I moved from the bed myself, grabbing my clothes and standing up. The bottom half of my body ached with soreness but I ignored it, pulling on my pants quickly and then my bra. I felt cool hands touch my waist as I was pulling over my shirt and when I could see again, I looked at Lexa. She was standing right next to me, her hair slightly a mess due to my fingers, and her green eyes wild as ever. She reached up, cupping my cheek before kissing me ever so softly.

"Perhaps I shall walk you to the stables and see you off?" She asked me after she pulled away.

"I would love that." I told her honestly. Lexa only nodded and I moved away, "I'm going to start getting my stuff."

It was hard to walk out of the bedroom, and my heart ached with every step I took from the room. But I knew that what I was doing was the right thing, it was something that I had to do, even if I didn't want to.

When I pushed the doors to my bedroom opened, I immediately noticed the figure standing by my bed. Her face was so familiar; it took be a second before I recognized her. I whispered her name and took a few steps forward. "What the hell are you doing here?" I asked her loudly, angrily.

"Clarke Kom Skaikru, a pleasure I'm sure." Ontari said, half a smile on her face as she walked over to me. I grew nervous, wondering why she was here. When I looked to the side, my eyes widened as I realized that Murphy was tied to a chair. I almost didn't recognize him; his face was badly beaten, purple bruises covering every inch. Blood was everywhere on his face and my breath stopped when I saw him coughing up blood.

"Murphy... what did you do to him?" I yelled at Ontari as I ran towards Murphy, untying his wrists. It was my mistake turning my back to her, because soon, the cool tip of a blade was cutting into my throat. I froze, standing with her as she slowly grabbed onto my arms. I was pressed tightly into her body and I felt her breath on the back of my head.

"What I wish I could do to you. Now you are going to do exactly what I tell you or I will slit your throat, understand?" I nodded my head, understanding her message clearly. "Yell for the Commander, she'll come if she hears you yelling for her."

"No," I denied, not wanting to get Lexa here. Who knows if there's some sort of trick or something. I would not cause her harm.

Ontari mumbled something under before pointing something towards Murphy's head. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that it was a gun. How did she even get that? "Murphy, scream for Lexa. If she doesn't come in here, I will kill you."

I closed my eyes, knowing that Murphy would call her. It was his character to use people to guarantee his safety. I didn't blame him for it though, a lot of people are like that. When Murphy started yelling for Lexa, is a rough and hoarse voice, I knew that within a second she would be in here.

Proven right, the doors to the room burst open and Lexa came into the room. My eyes stung with tears as the knife pressed harder into my neck. I knew that it reopened the cuts that were there and I felt some blood drip down my neck.

Lexa looked at me with wide eyes and took a few steps forward before Ontari spoke. "One step closer and I will kill the bitch." Lexa froze in her spot and looked at me. "Now that I have the attention of the great Commander, I want you down on your knees. Now."

"Lexa don't do it!" I yelled, "Do not do it. Let her kill me, it doesn't matter. Just don't do it." The knife moved from my neck and for a second, I thought Ontari was giving up. But my thought was proven wrong as the knife slide across my arm, cutting open the skin. I screamed in pain as my arm went numb, blood already pouring out of the open wound.

Lexa immediately dropped to the floor with her hands up. "Stop, please. Don't hurt her, please."

Ontari only laughed. "That is what I thought. Goch op!"

The doors to the room opened and for a second, I thought it was Lexa's guards, coming to our aid. But all too soon I recognized them as Ice Nation and my worst fear began to come true. They grabbed onto Lexa's arms as she struggled to get away from them. The knife was pressed against my neck once again, the only thing keeping me from moving.

When the door opened again, it was Titus who entered. I was relieved when he walked in, knowing that he would definitely try to help us. His loyalty to his Heda was strong and I knew that he would help.

"Titus," One of the guards said, "We're ready."

"What is going on?" I asked, confused.

They only ignored me as they started dragging Lexa towards the bed. She fought with everything in her but it was no use compared to the two men holding her. They were the size of a bear and I doubt anything could take them down. It was then that Ontari told them to stop and to turn Lexa to look at me.

"If you resist once, she will die." She said, slowly moving the knife across my throat. I winced in pain as she made small cuts across my throat.

Lexa began speaking in her native tongue, but I was in too much pain to translate in my head. I watched as she was thrown onto her stomach, with the guards holding her down. "Titus, Titus what is going on? Help her!" I screamed at the older an. He ignored me again as he walked over to Lexa.

I watched as he pulled her hair back, taking out a small knife and bringing it to her neck. I pushed against Ontari, who only laughed at my attempts to break free. Titus set the knife at the top of her neck and slowly slid it down, black blood running from the back of her neck. She didn't once scream or resist, she lay on the bed as if she were asleep. There wasn't even a flinch.

"Lexa..." I said, calling out for her.

"I'm okay Clarke, I'm okay." Her voice was so low and I could hear the pain in it.

I watched as Titus spoke quietly, pulling something from inside of her neck. My eyes widened as I looked in horror, not understanding what was happened. He took the small chip and placed it inside a small box. It was in that moment that there was a loud bang, and Ontari's grip on me was released. I looked behind me, as Murphy stood with a candlestick in his head, Ontari on the ground.

"Let's get the fuck out of here." He said.

"Get them," Titus yelled. I turned to look as the guards turned to face us, letting Lexa go and coming towards us. I quickly grabbed the gun, holding it up and pointing it at them.

"Murphy get Lexa." I told the man behind me, watching the guards every move. The one on the right took a step and I pulled the trigger, watching as he fell from the ground. I didn't give the second one a chance before killing him, and then pointing the gun at Titus.

"You betrayed your Commander." I told him.

"She betrayed us first! She is not fit to lead us anymore." Titus said.

"Give me the box." When he refused to move, I spoke again. "Give me the box or I will shoot you."

"Shoot me then, for I wi-" A loud bang echoed in the room as I pulled the trigger, watching as he fell to the ground; a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. I slide the gun into the waistband of my pants and moved towards his bed body, grabbing the box that held the chip. I knew that it was important, but I didn't know what it was.

"Clarke, we have to get out of here." Murphy said as he and Lexa came over to me. I looked at Lexa, watching as she stared at the dead bodies around us. I was about to speak before I heard movement behind us, and we all turned around to look at Ontari standing again.

"Azgeda marches on Polis as we speak. And the ambassadors have already called for their clans to send warriors to march with us. Your reign is over Lexa, you will die." Ontari said.

"Let's go," Murphy said, pulling my arm. I only stared at Ontari, getting ready to grab my gun.

"If you kill me, it will only make things worse for her." She nodded her head towards Lexa.

Instead of replying, I grabbed Lexa's hand and followed Murphy out the door. We took off towards the stairs. Murphy was in front of us as we ran, me pulling Lexa as fast as I could while we can.

My arm was killing me and I knew that I was losing blood fast. I needed to find somewhere safe to wrap my arm up before I fainted. It must have taken a solid five minutes of running down the stairs as fast as we could. When we got to the exit, we ran out into the abandoned alley way behind the building. "This way!" Murphy yelled.

I followed his head, ducking under a broken building and running past it. The sounds of the city began to disappear the further we can and I was soon growing so tired that I was struggling to breathe. When I saw the first hint of forest I grew so happy, knowing that there was a safe place somewhere in there.

It must have rained sometime last night, because everything was wet. Water dripped on us from the trees as thunder boomed in the distance. I started running slower, my head beginning to ache as blood didn't get to it. I had lost so much blood, I was so weak.

"Murphy, she's going to faint!" Lexa yelled at the boy ahead of us, causing him to stop. He turned around and looked at us for a second, like he was deciding if he should help or not. Finally he came to us, lifting me up.

"Alright princess, let's go." He mumbled.

We must have run for hours it seemed. We were far from the capital by the time that we stopped running, and it was only when Lexa said that there was a cave up ahead that we could rest. I was thankful for that; I needed to tie up my arm. Thankfully the bleeding slowed down, so when we were sitting in the cave, I ripped half of my shirt and tied it above the cut. Lexa was sitting next to me, inspecting the cuts across my neck.

I told her that I was okay, but perusal, she had to see for herself. Murphy was sitting on the other side of the cave, looking at us. I knew what he was thinking by the look on his face, and when he caught my eye, he only smirked. I rolled my eyes at him and watched as he stood up. "I'm going to get some firewood and see if there's any water around." He walked out of the cave carefully, looking around. Once he decided it was safe, he walked out and disappeared from my view.

As soon as he was gone, Lexa moved quickly and wrapped her arms around me. I held onto her, comforting her without words. I knew that what had just happened to her reminded her of what happened with her past lover. But I was alive right now, I wasn't dead, and I didn't plan to be. So I held onto her tightly. It was then that I remembered the cut on her neck and I reached up, placing my hands on the back of her neck. The cut wasn't very deep and there wasn't much blood anymore. But I was still worried about it getting infected.

"Lexa what was that?" I asked her as she continued to hold me

"That's the spirit of the Commander. It chose me on my ascension day, that's how I became Heda."

"Well then we have to put it bac-"

"No."


	14. I Choose You

**Klarke:**

I looked at Lexa, my eyebrows coming together. "What do you mean, no?" I asked. Lexa only shook her head as she moved to stand up. I watched as she walked around, pacing back and forth. She ran a hand through her hair as she did so, taking in deep breathes. I moved to stand up, grabbing her arm and getting her to stop. "Hey, what are you thinking?"

Lexa looked at me suddenly, her green eyes staring at me so brightly. "I don't want it."

"What do you mean you don't want it? You're the Commander, you were chosen, you can't choose differently." I told her.

"Well I do, I choose you. Clarke, you once told me that life is about more than just surviving. You are right. I do not want to continue being Heda, Clarke I..."

I reached up, touching the side of her face. My heart broke and I didn't know what to say. Lexa has always been the Commander, I can't imagine her in any other way. And I know that ruling her people is who she is. She can't walk away from that, from who she is. "Lexa, you can't. You're Heda, that's who you are."

"You are who I am, Clarke. Look, I have been training for this since I found out I was a Natblida. I fought aside Anya for years, I've made decisions that has cost lives, save lives, and destroy lives. My own flamekeeper betrayed me. I just want to do more than just surviving."

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" I asked her, searching her green eyes for any sign. She nodded, smiling.

At that second, Murphy came back into the cave carrying an armful of fire wood. He paused when he saw us and I took a step back, my face turning red. Murphy only smiled as he dumped the wood onto the ground, sitting down. "I'm gonna try and build a fire. There's a river by the way, you guys should get some water and clean up. You guys look disgusting."

I realized that we were, truly disgusting. I was covered in dirt and blood and so was Lexa. I looked at Lexa and shrugged. "I should probably wash out my cuts and you need to too." I told her.

She nodded too and I turned to Murphy, telling him that we would be back later. I walked outside the cave and looked around. Lexa's fingers slid into my own and I looked over at her and smiled, my cheeks turning red underneath her gaze. "I think that we should talk more about this, Heda." I told her.

Lexa only nodded, shaking her head a bit. "I do not want to talk about it. I have made up my mind."

"I think we should."

"We?" Lexa looked over at me as we walked. "Does this mean that you want to be lovers?"

"What?" I stopped walking, causing her to stop as well. "Did you just ask me to be your girlfriend?"

"I suppose I did. Will you?"

I only nodded, squeezing her hand as she smiled. We continued walking towards the water and soon we were standing by the edge of it. The sun was beginning to set, the forests around us getting darker and darker. It was surprisingly warm and and when I stood by the water, I couldn't help but smile. The water was rushing down, cutting across the rocks. I stepped back, taking off my boots and then my socks before stepping into the water. It was cold but it felt nice after all the running.

Hands were at my hips, wrapping around my waist as Lexa's chin was set on my shoulder. I put my hands on her arms, embracing the closeness of Lexa that I've come to know. She stepped back after a second, and then I felt hands on my back. I was pushed forward, the water splashing around as I stumbled. I heard laughter from behind me and when I turned around, the biggest smile was stretched across her face.

I only rolled my eyes and walked back onto the grass. An idea popped into my head and I smiled wider, reaching to take off my jacket. I threw it back onto the grass and quickly took off my shirt, throwing it back too. The laughter from behind me stopped. I then undid my pants, pulling them off and tossing them back. I turned around, looking at Lexa. She was staring at me, her eyes roaming my body in a glazed over look the way that she always did. How did I ever not notice?

I reached up, unclasping the bra and throwing it towards her. I then turned around and pulled down the tight underwear and stepping out of it. I walked into the water, goose bumps raising on my skin as I walked into the water. When the water hit my hips, I got down onto my knees and let the water fully submerge me. When I turned around, Lexa was still staring at me.

"Aren't you going to get in?" I asked her.

She moved quickly after that, throwing off her clothes and soon joining me in the water. When she got close to me I reached out, pulling her closer to me. She pressed her lips against me, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her body against mine. When she pulled away from me, she trembled, pressing her nose against mine.

"Ai hod in." She whispered so quietly. My eyes opened and I saw that she was already staring at me.

"I love you, too." She pushed her lips against mine as soon as I said the word. She jumped up, wrapping her legs around my waist and held onto me so tightly. I smiled as I pulled away from the kiss, opening my eyes to look at her.

"Clarke, I do not want to be without you, even if that means that I am not the Commander. When I lost Costia because of my leadership, I promised myself that I would never love again, I would be alone. But I cannot follow through on it, I need you more than I need the air. Please, let me make this decision for me." It was a whisper, her warm breath on my face.

I nodded slowly. "If that's what you want."

"You are the only thing that I want."

I leaned in, kissing her softly. She moved down from me, taking a few steps back and running her hands throughout the water. I smiled as I watched her, act so peacefully after the day that we have had. I walked over to her, holding onto her arm softly and turning her around. "Let me see your neck, Lex." She bowed her head and I moved her wet hair onto one side of her neck.

"It doesn't look that bad right now, I just don't want it to get infected. It should heal nicely though." I brought my wet hand up to her neck, washing away from of the dried blood that was still on her neck. "Dip back for me." I told her. She did what I asked, leaning back and letting her head fall mostly into the water.

I ran my hands through her hair, scratching her scalp and running my hands throughout the rest of her hair. Her eyes closed and her lips titled up, smiling softly. I continued running my hand through her hair, working away the knots and trying my best to clean it without soup. I then did my best to wash her face. I leaned down, unable to resist how much I wanted to kiss her.

"What would you have done if Ontari had killed me?" I asked her quietly.

"Ontari's head would be on a spike and Azgeda would no longer be a clan, they would all be dead." Her eyes were still closed as I ran my hand over her forehead, rubbing away the dirt on her head.

"Really?" I asked her. Her eyes opened and she stood up, grabbing me and bringing me to her lips. She kissed me roughly, her hands on my waist. I melted into the kiss and brought my arms up to her neck, wrapping them around her. After a second, she pulled away.

"I love you, I would do anything to save you or keep you safe. Now, let me clean you." She said, kissing me once more.

I laughed breathlessly and leaned back. Her arm went behind my back, holding me up as the water surrounded my head. Her fingers worked their way into my hair, rubbing my scalp and untangling the knots in my hair. I closed my eyes, moaning softly at how nice it felt to have someone playing with my hair. She was tugging softly, pulling out the knots and letting the water get all the dirt out of my hair.

"I don't think that I have ever missed a shower so much in my life." I mumbled softly.

"What is that?" Lexa asked me, beginning to wash my face. I opened my eyes, immediately noticing how dark it had become.

"It's like a bath, but the water comes out of a faucet above you, like rain." I explained to her, standing up when she finished. Lexa only nodded. "We should get back, Murphy's gonna think we're missing. And it's getting dark."

She luckily agreed with me, and we made our way out of the water. It was really cold out, and I started to shiver. I quickly began to get myself dressed and when I turned around, Lexa was finishing as well. I reached over, grabbing her hand and beginning to lead her towards the cave. Her hands wrapped around my waist, rubbing my side up and down.

When we got back to the cave, we immediately sat by the fire, trying to keep warm. Lexa had sat next to me but we weren't touching, and Murphy was on the other side of the fire. It was hard to look at his face without staring, it was completely distorted and it looked painful. When Murphy caught my eye, he shrugged.

I cleared my throat. "We should head to Arkadia. It's probably about a day's walk, maybe two. But we should head there and sneak in, they won't let Lexa in. But I need to see my mother and after that, Lexa and I will go wherever it's safe." I told the two of them, looking at their reactions.

"I gotta find Emori, we got split up." Murphy said, then continuing. "My girlfriend."

"Well, we should still go to Arkadia first." I shrugged. It was the smartest decision, and besides, we needed to get stuff before we just left.

"I know where we can go..." Lexa whispered to only me. I nodded my head, knowing that we would talk about this later.

I took a deep breath and moved away from the fire, pulling off my jacket and rolling it into a ball. I then laid my head on it and stretched my body out on the rocky floor. It would be a very difficult and uncomfortable night. I heard movement and soon Lexa was lying next to me. I sat up, telling Lexa to lift her head for a second. When she did, I slid the jacket under her head and when she set her head down, I moved her head, then resting my own in the crook of her arm. I put my weakened arm over her waist and closed my eyes, already feeling how tired I was.

I don't remember falling asleep, but I do remember waking up. The fire was still burning, so I wasn't asleep for that long. I could hear Murphy snoring, however, which told me that he was asleep. I shifted, uncomfortable, and winced a little when I realized how sore my shoulder had gotten while lying on it. It made sense, really, being that I had been lying on it.

Lexa moved, her hand grabbing onto the arm that was across her stomach. "Are you alright?" She asked me quietly.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Just uncomfortable. Have you slept yet?" I could barely make out her face in the darkness. But I reached up, trying to find her. Finally my hand made contact with her jaw, and I cupped the side of her cheek, rubbing her cheek bone.

"I can't sleep. I was thinking."

"About what?" I asked her.

"When we first met." She was really quiet, it was hard to hear her over the crackling fire.

"What about it?"

"I remember when you walked into my tent. I remember thinking when I first saw you, how beautiful I thought you were, and how much I wanted you and your people dead." She chuckled at the end of her words before continuing. "Indra wanted to kill you right there, but I didn't let her. The only reason why was because I wanted to look at you for a while more. An sky person in my presence, it was quite strange."

I laughed quietly, moving to lay on my stomach as I faced her. "I remember how much I hated you too."

"I know that I am an acquired taste." She laughed.

"And how do you feel now?" I asked her, finding the curve of her jaw in the darkness.

"I feel as though you were meant to fall from the sky for me."

"I don't think that I have ever, ever, heard you say anything like that in my life." I laughed, moving further up and leaning closer to her.

Lexa breathed out, lifting her head to meet my lips. I smiled as we kissed, pulling away after a few seconds. "I have not said anything like that in my life. I was hoping to swoon you."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Okay, whatever you say Lex."

"Do you remember when I thought one of your people had tried to kill me at the dinner we had? And you drank it to prove your innocence. I have to be honest, you truly did get on my nerves. Even after I grew feelings for you."

I moved back, putting my head on her chest and slowly breathing out. I was beginning to grow tired again. "Mhm, you annoyed me like hell."

Lexa laughed, her chest moving up and down as she started running her hand through my hair. "Sleep, Clarke. I will wake you when the sun rises."


	15. Arkadia

**Klarke:**

When I awoke the next day, my head was resting on the jacket and Lexa was gone. I shivered, suddenly feeling how cold it was without someone lying next to me. I groaned as I sat up, my back aching in protest. When I looked around, I saw Lexa kneeling by the fire, cooking something. Murphy was gone, no longer with us, and it was just the two of us.

Lexa noticed my being awake and looked up at me, her green eyes staring at me. I got up, slowly and stumbled a little bit. Lexa immediately got up and walked over to me, grabbing onto my arm to steady me. "Are you okay?" She asked me, holding tightly.

"I'm okay," I nodded. "I'm just a little bit dizzy that's all. I need food, I lost a lot of blood yesterday." I explained to her.

"Here, choj op." She brought me over to the fire and gave me some food, some sort of meat. I didn't ask any questions, I just ate as quickly as I could. She handed me another piece and within seconds I had downed it. She laughed, "Hungry much?"

"Starved, actually."

"Here, have mine." Lexa tried to hand me hers but I denied it.

"No, you need to eat your own food. We need to start our way to Arkadia and you need the energy too." I told her, standing up. Lexa didn't object, for once, and I walked out towards the outside of the cave, looking out. "Where's Murphy?" I called back to her.

"He left. He told me to tell you that he's sorry, and he hopes to meet you again." Lexa told me. I turned around, watching as she stomped out the fire. She then grabbed the jacket and walked over to me, handing it to me. I thanked her quietly and put it on.

"So what do we do?" I asked Lexa. "About the spirit?"

"I think that we should take it to Luna. Perhaps she could help us. Do you know how to get to Arkadia?" Lexa asked me.

"Yeah, I know."

"How so?"

"Just past that river is a bunker that Finn and I found a long time ago. The drop ship is up ahead, probably an hour or two. The camp is further, but I can get us there."

*******

It had been hours since we left the cave, hours. The sun was beginning to set and we have been walking for what felt like days. My feet were aching, and we haven't found water in a while. It was beginning to grow colder too, which didn't help. Lexa was walking in front of me, while I lagged behind. I was growing too tired and weak to walk fast, and Lexa was anxious to get there. I stopped walking, putting my hands on my hips and breathing heavy. My throat was dry and my lips were chapped.

"W-wait, Lex-" I coughed, taking a deep breath.

Lexa turned around, staring at me for a second before walking over. I reached out, grabbing onto her arm as she used her other arm to grab onto my waist. "What's wrong?" She asked me.

"I just need a minute, please." I held onto her. "I'm sorry I just need a minute. I just need some time. I'm so tired."

Lexa pulled her hair onto one side of the neck, turning around and bending over slightly. "Get on."

"What? No, I'm too heavy and you can't carry me." I told her, shaking my head.

"Shof op." Lexa said, "Get on."

I sighed, moving and grabbing onto her shoulders. I jumped up, wrapping my legs around her waist and my arms around her neck. Her hands were on the back of my thighs, holding tightly as she began to walk. "See, you're not to heavy." She said smugly.

Rolling my eyes, I rested my head on her shoulder, my chin in the crook of her neck. I leaned forward, pressing a kiss onto her neck. She squirmed slightly, laughing. I repeated my actions and she laughed again, loudly and freely. I haven't heard her laugh like that it what seemed like years- I don't even remember the last time I heard her laugh like that.

I leaned forward once again, only this time, I left my lips on her neck, sucking on the skin softly. Lexa did not laugh this time, instead she slowed down, moving her head to the side and allowing me more room. I smiled on her skin, pressing my lips onto her neck once before pulling away, a small bruise on her neck.

"Do not do that." She said quietly, beginning to walk again. I laughed quietly and closed my eyes, resting my head on her. I breathed in and out softly, trying to calm my aching body down.

*******

I'm not sure how long that she carried me for, it must have been hours- and I must have fallen asleep. When my eyes opened, it was much much darker. I looked around, seeing the trees in the darkness and when I looked up, the stars were shining brightly in the dark sky. I could hear the noises of the night come alive, an owl, some birds, and some howling in the distance. Lexa was walking quickly, but slower than she was earlier and I realized that she must be tired from carrying me. 

"Hey," I said quietly. "You can let me down." Lexa slowed and I jumped down, my boots crushing leaves. I stretched, my back sore from being bent over for so long. My neck was hurting a little bit too but it wasn't very bothersome. Lexa turned to look at me, her green eyes staring at me. "You alright?" I asked her, rubbing my neck.

"You are very peaceful when you sleep." Was all she said. 

I smiled, "How long was I sleeping? Did we pass the drop ship?" I asked her as we started walking again.

"Yes. A few hours ago. We are almost at Arkadia, only another few minutes or so." Lexa told me.

I paused. "What? Why didn't you wake me?" 

"You needed to sleep. We've had a very long few days and I wanted you to sleep."

"Yeah, but you carried me for miles. You've got to be tired too." I told her, grabbing onto her arm and making her look at me.

"I will rest when you're safe, Clarke." I sighed, and Lexa reached across, holding onto my face. "I am okay. I just want you to be safe and then I will rest." I only nodded, knowing that there was nothing else I could do to get her to rest. Besides, I will be home soon and she'll be able to rest then. 

Lexa moved then, coming closer to me. She put her hand on my neck and pulled me into her, kissing me like the first time she ever did. So slowly and tentatively. I brought my hand up to her arm, holding tightly as she pulled away. She then kissed me again, before finally pulling away and letting go of me neck. I was glad that I couldn't see her face, or rather, that she couldn't see mine. Otherwise, she knew that I would be blushing.

"We should get going." I said quietly, causing Lexa to laugh. 

We walked in silence for a while after that, our hands intertwined as we did so. I kept going back and replaying everything in my head. Between her kissing me months ago, and to how our relationship had changed so drastically in the past few days. It's been hell over the last week or so, and everything that has happened happened so quickly. It was almost refreshing to just be walking with Lexa, nothing stopping us. Titus was around to be telling Lexa not to trust me, Indra wasn't around trying to kill me. For once, it was just us. I knew that in ten minutes it wouldn't be. It would be me sneaking in camp with Lexa, through Octavia's secret path. But for now, it was. 

Of course, I spoke too soon. As we arrived at the camp, we heard a crowd gathering inside and a few gunshots. Then, headlights appeared to be shining over the gate and I let go of Lexa, telling her to stay there while I walked towards the gate. All of a sudden, the gate broke open and the rover came rushing out of it. Headlights shined on my face and I squinted, hearing the squeaking noises of the breaks being hit. The car stopped and I was able to look inside, seeing Jasper at the wheel.

"Jasper?" I asked as Lexa grabbed onto my waist, pulling me away from the line of the rover. I ran around to the passenger side door, yelling into the barred window. "Jasper, what's going on?" I yelled.

"Get in!" He yelled, reaching across and opening the door for us. 

"No you don't understand, I need to see Lincoln." I told him. 

"You don't understand. Lincoln is dead, and we will be, too, if you don't get in now!" Jasper yelled. My mind didn't have time to react before gunshots were heard, the bullets hitting the metal of the rover. 

Lexa moved closer to me, covering my body with hers. "Get in, Clarke." I climbed into the car, letting Lexa in after me. 

"Why are they shooting?" I screamed. Jasper tried turning on the car but the engine was shot. "What do you mean, Lincoln's dead? That can't be." I said as Lexa closed the door behind us. I was half on her lap and half on the seat, facing Jasper.

"Suddenly you don't understand what dead means?" Jasper yelled in my face, trying to start the car again. I ignored his harsh comment.

"I need him to take us to Luna. He's the only one who knows where she-"

"Shut up!" Jasper yelled, "I don't care, okay?" It was then that I noticed that Raven was lying unconscious and I reached back, checking her pulse. "You really are the Angel of Death, aren't you?" Jasper said. I looked up at him, shocked at his words. I think that if I wasn't sitting on Lexa's lap, she might have killed him just for saying that to me. 

The door to the back of the rover suddenly opened and I immediately jumped up, climbing over Raven. I heard Lexa yell my name but I ignored it, kicking the man that was trying to grab Raven from the back of the rover. He fell backwards as the car started, Jasper hitting the gas immediately and driving away. As he did so, I looked up at the crowd that had gathered and my eyes widened when I saw my mother standing in the front of them.

"Mom?" I whispered as we drove further away, leaving Arkadia behind in a cloud of dust. 

*******

Jasper slowed the rover to a stop as bodies came into few in the headlights. I was sitting uncomfortably in the front seat with Lexa, and had been since we first started driving. When I looked out the window I wasn't surprised when I saw my people, and immediately climbed over Lexa to get out of the door. My boots hit the ground with a thud and I ran around the truck, looking at them. They all seemed surprised and when Lexa came up behind me, Bellamy immediately drew his gun up. Harper copied his actions and I stepped in front of her, holding my hands up. 

"Hey, hey. She's with us, okay? Something happened in Polis, something bad and she's here with us now, okay?" I told them all. 

Before anyone could say anything, Jasper started yelling. "Need your help! We have to get her inside before she wakes up." He came running, Raven in his arm. Bellamy immediately dropped his gun, taking Raven from Jasper. 

"Were you followed?" He asked Jasper.

"Maybe, I don't know."

"Get to the ridge." Bellamy told Bryan. "Radio if you spot anyone following."

We all started running towards the cave, and I watched as Octavia stayed where she was, staring at all of us. I stopped, looking at her. "Octavia, come on, we need you." I told her. 

We all ran into the cave, where Sinclair was sitting by the fire. I told him to clear some space, and he did so, setting Raven down where he did. The fire was burning bright inside the cave, and it was warm in here. Much warmer than it was outside. I felt a hand on my waist and when I looked, Lexa was standing right next to me. I knew that she was feeling uneasy standing around all of my people. They nearly all had guns and over the course of the last few weeks, I could understand why she didn't feel safe. But I'd be damned if I let anything happen to her.

"What the hell happened to her?" Sinclair asked as he made sure Raven was lying comfortable. 

"I told you on the radio. Raven is not Raven anymore. None of them are." Jasper said. "Jaha has been chipping everyone."

"Jasper's right, I've seen it with my own eyes." I told them all. 

"I don't need your help, alright?" Jasper yelled, coming towards me. Bellamy held him back as Lexa moved in front of me. 

"Just take it easy and explain." Bellamy said. 

"Jaha is using the chips to control everyone. You swallow it, and it changes you. You forget who you are, and then you see thing. ALIE, only she isn't really there. She made Raven slit her own wrists. She was trying to get it out of her head. I was trying to help her but..." Jasper explained.

"Okay, so let's help her now. Did she say how?" Sinclair asked. I grabbed Lexa's arm, moving around her and looking down at Raven.

"She was working on building something. She needed one of our old wristbands, but Jaha destroyed all of them." Jasper told us all. 

"Wait a second," I said suddenly as a thought came to my mind. I reached into my pocket, pulling out the box and opening it up. I took the spirit out of the box, showing it to Jasper. "Does it look like this?" I asked them. 

"Not exactly." Jasper said, shaking his head. Bellamy came closer to me, and I felt Lexa move closer to me as well, protecting me from him. But Bellamy only looked at the spirit. At the same time, Raven suddenly took off running. She knocked Jasper down, as I screamed for them not to let her get away. Everyone took off running towards her, and soon she was in the arms of Bellamy and Harper. She still resisted though. 

"Let me go!" Raven yelled. 

"If Raven finds out where we are, so will ALIE. She'll come for her." Jasper yelled, sticking something into her neck. Raven screamed in pain for a second before collapsing into Bellamy's arms. "Reaper stick, last dose." Jasper explained his actions.

"We have to go." I spoke, my breath coming out in a white puff. 

"Why?" Bellamy asked. "ALIE doesn't know where we are."

"Because I know where can can get a wristband."

*******

**Tell me how you're liking the story!!**


	16. Niylah

 

**Klarke:**

Sinclair stomped the fire out at Octavia went around grabbing whatever of their stuff was littered around the cave. I stood by the entrance, watching Raven as she slept. Lexa was standing next to me, leaning against the wall. My eyes were heavy and they ached with exhaustion, but I knew tonight was only just beginning. 

Bellamy walked over to us, and Lexa immediately moved to stand next to me. Bellamy eyed her, but ignored her, and only looked at me. "Clarke... I'm sorry."

"You did what you thought was best for you people Bel, there's nothing to forgive." I told him shaking my head slightly. "I've done countless things that shouldn't have been forgiven, and you forgave all of them."

Bellamy smiled, a breathless laugh leaving his lips. "I guess you and I are gonna be burning in hell together?" He offered up a joke and even I laughed. "So what happened, Commander? Why aren't you at the Capital?"

Lexa only stared at him, and I knew that she still needed time to get over what this man had done to her people. "I can tell you the details later, Bel. But for now, there is no Commander. We aren't safe anymore, Azgeda has the capital." I told him. 

His eyes widened and he sighed, shaking his head. "Fuck."

"Alright guys," Octavia said, "Let's go."

We all began to move as one, heading towards the rover. Monty climbed into the front seat and Sinclair next to him, while I ran around towards the back to open the door for Jasper, who was carrying Raven. We all climbed into the Rover after that, crowding around in the back. As soon as the door was shut and everyone was inside, Monty hit the gas and we took off. 

Lexa immediately grabbed my arm as the car shook, and I laughed quietly. "You'll get used to it." I whispered to her, she only nodded. I knew that she uncomfortable here, but soon we'd be at the trading post where she will most likely feel more comfortable.

We only drove for a little while, as soon we were arriving at the front of the post. We slowed to a stop and I stood up, looking out the front window. I almost sighed when I saw Niylah standing there, her sword raised and ready to fight. This was going to be a problem, I already knew it. 

I told Bellamy that I would talk to her, and he told me he'd come. We climbed out of the car with Octavia, who turned to me. "I thought you said she was a friend?" She asked me. 

"We'll handle it," I told her as Bellamy started walking. "Just stay here."

I ran to catch up with Bellamy, who was already almost there. Niylah was standing with her sword up, and she was ready to defend her home. I felt bad; she wasn't like this the last time I saw her. Of course, the last time I saw her, we had just had sex. 

"Skaikru is not welcome here, Wanheda." She said to me, eyeing Bellamy carefully. I knew that something must have happened to her. This wasn't her character. 

"Niylah, what's wrong?" I asked her. I turned around as I heard Sinclair yelling that Raven was waking up. Soon everyone from inside the rover started exiting it. I began to panic, knowing that Raven couldn't see where we were. "Is your father here?" I asked her.

"My father's dead, part of an army killed by your people while trying to protect you."

"Niylah, please." I begged. 

"I said, no." 

"We haven't got time for this." Bellamy said, raising his gun and pointing it towards her. "Move. Move! Get here in there!" Bellamy yelled as Niylah stepped aside. 

We all moved into the post, as Monty ran to catch up to us. "I told you, my mom was here. If she was chipped, ALIE would know."

"That's why we're putting her in the back. Through here." I told them all, leading the way into the back bedroom. Sinclair brought her into the room, dropping her onto the bed. Jasper ran in with ropes, and we all worked together to tie her to the bed. Raven protested as she woke up, yelling at us all. She managed to get a punch in at Jasper, who knocked over. 

I took a deep breath as she was finally tied to the bed, and stepped back. Raven was still screaming and protesting and I had to leave the room. People were missing and I knew that there could be trouble soon. We all left the room, leaving behind a still screaming Raven. I looked over towards were Bellamy, Lexa, and Niylah were standing, a gun on Niylah. I sighed and walked over to them, telling Bellamy that I've got this. 

"Niylah, we didn't have a choice." I told her as Lexa came over to me. "Our friend can't see you or this room until she's better." 

"Why?"

"It's hard to explain," I stressed. 

"Try."

"Just trust me when I tell you it's important." I told her. 

"Trust you? After what Skaikru did?" She yelled. I don't think that I've ever seen her this mad.

"That wasn't us." I lied, "I'm sorry about your father. We all are." I felt Lexa grab onto my hand, and watched as Niylah looked down at it. She didn't say anything, thank God. 

"What do you want from me, Clarke?" She asked. 

"Last time I was here, you had one of our wristbands. We need it now to save our friend."

"Why should I help you? You left after everything..."

"Because I know you won't let an innocent girl suffer." I told her honestly. I knew Niylah, and she wouldn't. 

I was right, because she told me to stay here as she disappeared. I took a deep breath and turned around, leaning against the counter as we waited for Niylah's return. 

*******

An hour later, both Monty and Octavia left to get something from the drop ship. Now, we just had to sit and wait for their return. I was sitting on a chair, kneeling forward and rubbing the headache that began to form between my eyes. Sinclair was running over ideas with the wristband with Bryan, who looked as confused as ever. 

Bellamy was standing guard by the door, waiting for any sign of life in the woods. Lexa was by me, her eyes closed as she rested. Niylah was on my other side, looking over pages of written ink- I wasn't sure of what. 

Suddenly we heard yelling, and we all ran into the room to get to where they were. My eyes widened as I saw Raven on the bed, her shoulder dislocated, untying the tops with her mouth. Blood dripped down both of her arms and she didn't seem affected by it at all. 

"Stop her!" I yelled, "Jasper, get that side."  

I grabbed onto her arm as she yelled, checking the wounds and putting her shoulder back into place. Jasper fixed the rope of her arm and Lexa was tying her other arm back. "She reopened her wounds. She's gonna bleed to death. I need bandages." I yelled. Bellamy came over, holding onto her arm where I was. 

"I got her." He said. I ran over and grabbed some bandages from Niylah's table, immediately returning to Raven. 

"Raven, stop fighting us!" I yelled as I tried my best to keep her still. 

"ALIE! ALIE! ALIE!" Jasper yelled. Suddenly, Raven stopped moving and looked at him. I know you can hear us. Why are you doing this to her? Let her go." Jasper said. 

"I'll let her go when you give me what I want." Raven said in the strangest voice. She then turned to look at me. "The technology that Clarke carries, it belongs to me."

"No way." I said angrily, holding her back.

"Clarke, just give it to her!" Jasper yelled. "Clarke!"

I spoke slowly, towards ALIE. "If you let Raven die, you'll never get it." I told her.

Raven suddenly stopped moving, allowing us to fix the bandages. It was then that Bellamy spoke, telling me that she can't be alone. I agreed with him, and told him that I would be the first watch. Soon, they all started leaving the room. Lexa was the last to leave, but before she did she came over to me, grabbing my hands. 

"Would you like me to stay with you?" She asked me. 

"No, I'll be okay Lex. You should go see if you can get something to eat." I told her, knowing that she's hungry. Lexa nodded, leaning over and kissing my head before leaving the room. I took a deep breath and moved to sit on one of the chairs. 

It was quiet for a while. Raven was watching me and I was watching her. My thoughts drifted from time to time, wondering how we would help Raven to how to fix the Azgeda problem that has risen in Polis. I knew that it would take a while to fix, and there would be a lot of death that comes from it. But we can't have Azgeda controlling the twelve clans- everyone would die. 

I'm not sure how long we sat in silence for. It felt like it was forever, but in reality, it must have only been about twenty minutes before she spoke, while I was checking on her bandages. "Do you ever see their faces?" She asked me. 

"What?" I asked, looking at her. 

"Of all the people you've killed." Raven clarified. 

"I know what you're doing," I sighed. "But you can't get to me, ALIE, so don't even bother."

"It's not ALIE, Clarke." She said, "It's Raven, and I'm not trying to get to you. I'm, I'm just trying to tell you the truth... because no one else will. Everywhere you go, death follows. You always want to save everyone. What you don't realize is, you're the one we need saving from."

"Wells is dead because you couldn't see Charlotte was a basket case." She continued, "Finn is dead because you broke his heart and then slid a knife into it. Hell, I bet you'll get Lexa killed, too."

"Shut up." I said, my eyes burning with tears at one of my biggest fears being said. 

"And then there's dear, old Dad." Raven continued. 

"I said, shut up." I got up from the bed, and walked away from. But I turned around when she started to speak.

"Your mom's in here with me, Clarke. She told me you tried to convince him not to go public about the fact the Ark was dying. Guess you should've tried harder." I started walking away then, trying my hardest not to cry in front of her. "His blood is on your hands, too."

"Shut up!" I yelled, turning around and facing her. I was breathing heavier and it was getting harder to control myself. 

"You can hide behind the selfless martyr act. We see you for what you really are, poison to anyone who gets close." Raven sneered. "Just count the days you have with Lexa now Clarke, cause soon you'll be the cause of her unavoidable death. You'll look her in the eyes as the life drains from them, just like how you watched your father get floated. And you won't be able to stop any of it."

"Shut up!" I screamed, grabbing one of the extra bandages and walking towards her. I went to go cover her mouth but she moved at the last second, sinking her teeth into my arm. I screamed as bit off a chunk of my skin, spitting it out. My blood was dripping from her mouth and I covered my arm as pain spread throughout my arm.

"You're done, ALIE!" I yelled. "You hear me? We're gonna fry you!" I heard footsteps behind me and soon strong arms wrapped around my waist and started pulling me back. 

"Hey, hey, come on." Bellamy yelled as he carried me.

I started screaming, protesting him and trying to break free. He dropped me, pushing me out the door and I stumbled through. Hot tears were burning down my cheeks and I felt a hand grab my arm, but I ignored Lexa's touch. Instead, I ran out of the post, into the cool night. Blood was dripping from my arm as I ran, but I didn't stop until I ran into the woods. 

I hit a tree, my body stopping at full force as I collapsed, freely crying in the dead of night. I brought my knees up and wrapped my arms around them, burying my head in my arms. I kept picturing the faces of my father, Wells, Finn, and now, Lexa. I kept imagining being by her side in her final moments, her blood on my hands. I don't think that I would be able to live with myself if her death was my fault.

"Clarke!" I heard voices calling for me, but I was too distracted to hear who it was. I heard movement from behind me and soon Niylah was kneeling besides me. "She's over here!"

"Just leave me alone." I said, tears still flowing freely from my eyes. I didn't want anyone to see me like this, I didn't want anyone to see me weak. 

When I looked up I saw someone running towards me and soon, Lexa fell onto her knees in front of me. Seeing her face only caused my heart to ache but I didn't want her to leave for one second. I reached out and she grabbed onto me, pulling my weak body closer to her as she held me. 

"Niylah, gon we. I can take care of her myself." Lexa said, looking up at her.

"Clark-"

"I said leave!" Niylah jumped back by the sudden yelling, but only shook her head as she started to walk away. 

Lexa only turned her attention towards me, holding me tightly in her arms. I tried my best to calm myself down, but I felt as if I were having a panic attack. I couldn't breathe right, and my eyes were aching with every tear that slipped past. Lexa only hushed me, running her hand through my hair and slowing rocking herself. I moved along with her when she moved, and the motion alone calmed me down. I took a few deep breathes before I was able to get control of myself.

"What happened, hodnes?" Lexa said softly to me, "What did she say?"

The tears had finally stopped and I was able to breathe again, but still, I did not move from Lexa's cradling arms. I was sitting between her legs, mine thrown over one of hers. One of her arms was supporting my back and rubbing my head, while the other was wrapped around my waist, holding me tightly.

My thoughts drifted back to what Raven had said, and my heart ached, but I did not allow myself to cry. "She said what was true." I only whispered.

"Hosh nau," She said, "I'm sure it was not true."

"It is! She said that I'm the cause of my father's death, and Wells, and Finn's, and probably yours. And she's right. I'm the Angel of Death remember? I'm Wanheda." 

"Clarke, stop. You did not cause any of those deaths. Your father's death is on your mother's hands, Wells was killed because a little girl was not right in the head, Finn was killed because of me, it was not you, you saved him from a horrible death. And I will not die, and when my time comes, it will not be on your hands." 

"You can't know that." I shook my head, moving so I was sitting up. I looked at her, her green eyes staring at me. 

"I do. Clarke, I am right here. I am not dead, and I will not be for a while." She told me. I took a deep breath. I knew that, of course I knew that. But it was still hard to hear when someone said it to you, especially knowing that some of it is true- even if I've hidden the demons so well.

"We should go back." I told her.

Lexa nodded, and she reached over, caressing my face. She leaned towards me and kissed me, holding onto my face with her other hand. A few tears slipped past my eyes as she pulled away and she wiped them with the pads of her thumb. She kissed me once more before we stood up and she grabbed onto my hand, covering it with both of hers. "You are okay, hodnes."

We walked slowly, so I had time to calm myself down. I felt better by the time I saw the light from the trading post and before we walked out of the forest, Lexa paused. "Clarke, why did Niylah run after you as well? How do you two know each other?"

I hesitated slightly. "After I left Arkadia, I traded a lot of animals for things that I needed. She was the one I traded with. We um, we used to sleep together a lot."

"Why would you share a bed with her if you did not know her that well? That is very dangerous Clarke."

"No, no. I mean like, we used to have sex." I clarified, looking over at her. 

She looked over at me, her eyes wide before I could see the anger growing inside of them. "Oh?"

"Yeah."

"When was the last time that you did?" Lexa asked me.

"The night before Roan kidnapped me to bring me to you." I answered honestly. Lexa nodded and started walking again, bringing me with her. I kept looking at her, expecting her to say something but she didn't. I was worried that I upset her. "Are you okay?" I asked her as we got closer to the front door.

"I am." She nodded. "I just do not like the thought of it, but I suppose that there is nothing I can do about it. Besides, I have, as you call it, slept with other people as well. But... she still cares for you Clarke. I can see it in her eyes."

"I care about her, too." I said. Lexa paused once again and looked at me, anger again in her eyes. "Not like that, but her father just died. And if it wasn't for her than I'd be dead."

Lexa only nodded and took a step forward before pausing again. She dropped my hand when she turned to face me, and started walking towards me. Her hands were placed on the sides of my face and she pushed me backwards until my back hit the fence. Her lips found mine and she pressed her body up against mine, one hand moving up into my hair while the other was set on my waist, holding me tightly.

She kissed me quickly, it was hard for myself to keep up. Her lips moved so fast against mine in an almost urgent and hungry way, I could feel the heat between us. She captured my lower lip between her teeth, sucking it softly and then dragging her teeth along the skin of it. I couldn't help the quiet, breathless moan that escaped my lips, feeling my knees weaken at the thought of any of this escalating. We haven't done anything like that since before she was robbed of the spirit, but right now, it was all I wanted to do. But I knew that it wasn't the right time, and so did she, as she soon pulled away from me and took a step back.

"You are mine, Clarke, and I am yours. Is that what you want?" She asked me.

"It's everything I want, you know that." I told her. "You don't have to be jealous of Niylah."

Lexa laughed. "I am not jealous of a trading post girl. I am simply just kissing the breath out of my hodnes, thank you."


	17. Disclaimer

**Hello guys! I'm sorry that this isn't a new chapter but there is something that I need to say just really quickly.**

 

**You all know that the story plot line and most of the early on dialogue, is from the show, right? I have said that multiple times but I just want to make it clear again. I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE STORY IDEAS, THE PLOT LINE, AND THE DIALOGUE OF THE SHOW. I AM NOT TAKING CREDIT FOR WRITING IT, NOR AM I TRYING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THE IDEAS ITSELF. I obviously fully aware of the fact that I do not have any ownership of anything in this fanfiction, and I thought that I have made myself clear on that.**

**But apparently not enough because someone tried to test me but it's all good cause I clapped back real fast. Anyway, I just hope you all know that, right? Please let me know. Obviously it will stray from the show once we hit a certain point, and it is coming very very soon.**

 

**So with all that said, I just want to say thank you for reading this, and I'm loving the fact that you all do. I'm really excited for when we stray more from the story line, so this way you'll be able to see my actual ideas (like in the two other books in the series).**

 

**Also on that note, the three books are not connected in anyway, so they do not go in order in case anyone was wondering. I just posted them now so I make myself actually write it haha.**

 

**Okay, thank you all for your time, and again I'm sorry that this isn't a chapter. One will be up in a few minutes.**

 

**\- Amanda**


	18. Demons

**Klarke:**

"I let her get to me." I admitted as Bellamy was wrapping the bite mark on my arm. He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"You don't say. Take a break, I'll let her beat me up for a while." Bellamy said. I nodded, not wanting to go back in there for a little while.

Bellamy walked away, heading towards the room where Raven was kept. I turned around and looked to where Lexa was sitting, wanting to go join her. I sat down next to her, leaning against her and pulling my legs up. I took a deep breath and sighed again, leaning my tired against her shoulder. "Why does Jasper hate you?" Lexa asked me quietly, so nobody else in the room would hear her.

"Because I killed his girlfriend." I told her.

"How did you do that?"

I blinked back the bad memories. "By killing the Mountain."

"I'm sorry. I-"

"Don't. It's not your fault."

We sat in silence for a while before we started hearing Raven talk to Bellamy. I winced as I heard the words that Raven was spitting out on him, and I knew that they were hurting him as much as they hurt me. I stood up, telling Lexa that was I was gonna take his place. But paused when I heard Raven talking about what Bellamy did to the army that was sent to protect them. My eyes widened when I saw Niylah already standing, staring at the back room.

She stood up immediately and I called for her, running after her. But it was too late, she already ran into the room with Raven. We all ran into the room after her, as Niylah stared at Bellamy. He stood up himself, staring at her.

"My father, you-"

"Niylah." Bellamy sighed. I could see the pain on his face.

"You killed him." She said, walking up to Bellamy and hitting him across the face.

"Niylah, Niylah you can't be in here." I said, trying to grab onto her. I pulled her out of the room, acting as quickly as I could.

"It's too late." I heard Jasper say, "Raven's already seen her. ALIE knows we're here."

Niylah pushed herself off of me, walking out the door in anger. I groaned and sat down at the table, putting my head on the wood. I felt hands on my shoulders, rubbing softly. I sat up, bringing my arms up to grab onto Lexa's hands as they rubbed the tension in my shoulders. Bellamy and Jasper both ran out of the room, Bellamy in anger and Jasper in a hurry. I watched as Bellamy walked out the door and I only shook my head.

After a few minutes of silence, the door burst open and Sinclair ran into the room. I immediately jumped up and followed him as he talked. "All we have to do is connect her and activate the electromagnet."

We started untying her from the bed post and moving her down the bed, all while she struggled. We couldn't get a good grip on her and soon she started banging her head on the metal of the bed frame. "Raven! She's trying to kill herself." Bellamy yelled, trying his hardest to get her under control.

An idea popped into my head and I grabbed the box from my pocket, taking out the spirit and holding it up. "Stop and I'll give you this."

Raven froze, staring at me for a second before Bellamy took the chance to click the wrist band into place. I put the chip back into its case and slide it into my pocket. "You lied! You lied! No!" She yelled. "Please don't. The EMP will give me brain damage. You know it will. Please don't do this."

"Don't listen to her!" Octavia yelled.

"Sinclair, stop! Sinclair, no." Raven yelled.

"We've only got one shot as this. The EMP will fry the wristband, too." Sinclair said, ignoring Raven. "Do it!"

I watched as Monty hit the button, and a small buzzing noise alerted us but nothing came from it. We all stared at each other for a second before Sinclair yelled, "The battery's not strong enough."

"Well, then get one that is." I yelled to him, watching as everyone struggle to keep Lexa down. I moved over to where Sinclair was, holding down her arm. Lexa was diagonal from me, who was holding down her leg, while Octavia sat across from me and held back Raven's head.

"The rover." Bellamy said suddenly, telling Sinclair to hold Raven down. Bellamy took off running, leaving us behind to get the battery- Monty went with him.

I heard gunshots from where they were outside, and within a few seconds they came back in running with the car battery. Within seconds Sinclair had the battery hooked up, and soon Sinclair yelled that he got it. I watched as he pressed the button, sending electronic waves into Raven. She screamed in pain before falling to the side, knocked out. I put my finger up to her neck to check her pulse and felt relieved when I felt one.

"She's breathing. Raven? Come on, Raven." I said, trying to get her to wake up. Everyone started to yell at her to wake up, shaking her body to get to her to wake up.

"She warned us." Jasper said, backing away from where he was standing next to me. I ignored his movements, begging for Raven to wake up. It was then that I felt a tug at my waist, and when I turned around I saw Jasper holding the box that the chip is in.

"What are you doing?" I asked him cautiously.

"Don't move." He warned as he ran to the table. I didn't listen to him and I ran towards him, trying to reach for it. He pushed me away, causing me to stumble into Monty. Before anyone could act, Lexa crossed the room. I watched as she grabbed his arm, twisting it back and slamming him onto the table.

"You do not touch Clarke like that, nor do you touch the spirit." Lexa threatened, her voice low and deep.

"The what?" Bellamy asked.

I moved from Monty and grabbed the chip, holding it carefully in my hands. "It's the spirit. I saw them cut it out of her head..." I trailed off, my eyes widening.

"What is it?" Lexa asked me as she continued to press Jasper down onto the table.

"Both the A.I.'s were made by the same person. Both tap into human consciousness. They must work similarly, right?"

"There's probably only one pathway to consciousness, so it's possible, yeah. What does this have to do with anything?" Sinclair asked me. I slide the chip back into it's box and put it in my pocket.

"I've seen an A.I. get removed before. Help me get her on her side."

We worked together to get her onto her back, and I told Monty to get the med kit from my bag. I grabbed the knife that was in there and leaned over, gently cutting the back of her neck, the same way that I watched Titus do to Lexa. Blood began to fall from her neck and soon, a metallic string came gushing out.

"What is that?" Bellamy whispered.

"It must be whatever's left of the chip." Sinclair guessed. Raven began coughing and we all jumped, but I turned her to lie on her back. I think we all sighed with relief when she reached up, touching the bag of her neck and whispering ow.

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see someone in pain." Octavia said as she helped Raven sit up. Raven laughed, grimacing as she did so. I looked over at Lexa and nodded, and she moved to let Jasper up. She walked over to me then, looking at Raven and smiling softly. I took her hand in mine as she did so.

Monty spoke and when I looked up, I saw him facing away from us. "I could have saved my mom." My heart broke and I watched as Jasper walked over to him, putting his hand on his shoulder. Monty jumped, turning to look at him before yelling. "Get the hell away from him." He walked out before anyone else could say anything.

"ALIE knows we're here," Bellamy spoke suddenly. "We got to move."

And with that, we all began to move. Sinclair grabbed a sleeping Raven and carried her out, while everyone else followed him. I grabbed whatever stuff that we had before following Lexa out the door. When we walked into the room, Niylah was standing by the counter and I walked over to her. Lexa was still holding onto my hand, and I could tell that she didn't want to be here with her but I ignored her.

"I'm sorry for not telling you about Bellamy, but you wouldn't have helped if you knew the truth." I told her.

"You didn't give either of us the chance to find out." She said; I squeezed Lexa's hand. "Just go, Clarke."

"You can't stay here. If you do, you'll end up just like my friend. You need to run." I told her.

"It's time for a supply run, anyway." Niylah said. I half smiled before nodding, turning around and leading Lexa out of the trading post.

We walked over to where the Rover was, where Monty was putting the battery back into the car. Lexa and I walked towards the rover was, where everyone else was. Raven was sitting at the back of the van, wrapped in a blanket. I walked up to her, Lexa behind me, and Raven eyed Lexa's hand in mine. I knew that she would be giving me crap about this later.

"Hey," I said to her softly. "There's something I don't understand. Why did ALIE want you to kill yourself?" I asked her.

Raven looked down for a second, licking her dry lips and then looked up at me. "Because I know why she wants the second A.I."

"Why?" Lexa asked her.

"Because it's the only thing that can stop her." Raven told us.

"Then let's stop her," Octavia said, looking around. "We survive together from now on. We don't know who else is chipped. From now on, it's us against the world."

*******

Raven was flipping through the journal, now able to with the sunlight streaming into the car. It was early morning and the sun was finally out, allowing us to be able to see much better again. Unfortunately, that meant a lot of us weren't able to sleep through the night. I only feel asleep for about an hour, and I'm pretty sure that Lexa is working on two days without sleep. I felt bad for her, so when she fell asleep a few hours ago, I didn't dare wake her. But with the sun up, so was she.

There was music playing softly from the radio, and I would question on where they found it, but frankly, I didn't care. I was focusing on what Raven was saying. She had been talking about how Becca's journal was something out of this world, and she seemed almost excited by it.

"Becca's journal is amazing." Raven said suddenly. Monty lowered the music on the radio and we all turned to listen to her. "At twenty, she found a pathway to access a human mind. That same year, she had to lock up ALIE because her answer for what was wrong with the world was too many people. She was twenty seven when it launched the bombs."

"What did she write about the flame?" Lexa asked her.

"ALIE 2.0? She aw it as a way to atone for her sins. She designed it not to just access a human mind, but to merge with one. It would never wipe us out because it would be one of us. She would put it in herself first, altered her genes so her body wouldn't reject the implant." Raven explained. 

"Bekka Pramheda... the first Commander." I whispered to myself. "The gene therapy made her blood black, didn't it?" I asked her.

"Yeah... how did you know that?" Raven confirmed. I looked at Lexa, who realized what that meant. Her eyes went wide and she looked over at me, with a concerned and slightly questionable look.

"Night blood- all the Commander's have it. Somehow it became hereditary. Luna has it, that's why we have to find her. If we can access ALIE two, she can tell us how to stop ALIE one." I explained to them. Lexa grabbed my hand.

"Wait..." Bellamy trailed off, looking at Lexa. "So that means Lexa's a night blood too, so does that mean her and Luna are direct descendants to Becca?"

"I don't know, most likely, yes." Raven said, flipping through the journal.

"Get back to the mind pathway." Monty said suddenly. "If ALIE uses it to upload our minds to the City of Light, then there's a chance my mom's still alive?"

"That depends on your definition of 'alive'." Raven said.

"Eyes sharp." Bellamy said out of now where, slowing the rover down. I leaned over and looked out the front window, seeing that we were pulling up to the Ark. "Weapons hot, we're almost home."

He started calling for Miller and Harper, but there was no answer. We all mumbled, wondering why they weren't answering. But too soon the rover came to a stop and we all ushered our way out of the vehicle. I was holding my gun in my hand, one that Bel gave me, and Lexa was behind me with a gun of her own. It was strange seeing one in her hands, but much less stranger than seeing her and Raven talking earlier and laughing.

We all stood watch as Monty drove the rover into the open gates, while we all walked behind it. I walked quietly, the gun raised as we entered the camp. There was nobody around, and the gate was left open. I didn't understand why no one would have fixed the open gate.

"Miller, where the hell are you?" Bellamy yelled into the radio. "I don't like this." He then said to us.

"Maybe they got chipped?" Lexa said fro behind me.

"If they got chipped, they'd been waiting for us at the cave." Bellamy answered.

"Maybe they saw the open gate, went in for Lincoln's book." Jasper said.

Octavia was the next to speak, and I almost laughed at the attitude from her. "Maybe you should stop saying maybe."

"If they are chipped," I said loudly, "ALIE already knows we're coming."

We finally got to the actual Ark, where we all paused. I noticed both Octavia and Bellamy looking at something, and when I saw the puddle of blood on the ground my stomach dropped. When I looked at Octavia, I immediately knew that it was Lincoln's. My heart ached as I saw Octavia's face fall, her eyes fill with tears. But she didn't shed one, she only swallowed hard and looked up.

"Let's get his book and get the hell out of here."

"That's a plan I can support." Jasper said.

We all moved at once, Monty driving the rover into the huge room in the Ark, and we all moved around it, getting into the building. I walked towards where the tables were set up, where food was still sitting. It seemed as if they had all just gotten up and left. It was then that we decided to split up, in order to pack up as much stuff as we could. 

I went to where we had kept a lot of food, throwing it into bags and getting as much as I could for the lot of us. Lexa helped me, doing the same thing that I was doing.I watched as she threw things into the bag and I realized just how out of place she looked here, in the Ark. It was weird to see her here, but I wouldn't change it for the world. 

"Come on, let's get some stuff from medical, okay?" I told her. We put the bags by the rover, for Sinclair to pack while we were getting supplies.

We started making our way towards where Raven and Monty were, telling them that that's where we would be. But before we left, Bellamy's voice came through the radio.

"Everyone finish what you're doing. Meet me at the armory." He told us.

"Why What's going on?" I asked him.

"You'll see when you get here. We just got lucky."

"On our way."

"Wait!" I looked over at Raven, who was staring at me. "Leave ALIE two."

I glanced at Lexa, who turned to me. "Why?" I asked Raven.

"I think I know how to activate it." Raven said. I walked over to her, looking at what she was holding.

"Without nightblood?" Lexa asked, coming to stand next to Raven. I watched her carefully, making sure that she wasn't going to try and stop me from giving the chip to Raven. I doubted that she would, but I knew her faith was important to her.

"This section here codes for activation using a spoke passphrase."

"You can read that?" Monty asked, looking over my shoulder.

"That's...no, how? None of our systems are in this language, and you're a lousy coder." Sinclair said. I took the chip from the box carefully, handing it to Sinclair. I knew that Lexa probably didn't trust anyone other than me - if that - with it, but she had to learn to trust my people, especially know.

"Lexa, you know this, right?" Raven asked, turning towards her. I could tell that she was confused, I didn't blame her.

"Lexa didn't even know she was an A.I." I came to her rescue.

"She's not an A.I. Her mind was just enhanced by one. I'm guess the reason you didn't know, Lexa, was because the program degraded over time. Parts of it got lost. Think Lexa, is there any phrase or words that have any unknown meaning to you?" Raven asked my Heda.

I walked over to her, taking her arm as she closed her eyes, thinking. "Think Lex, is there anything Titus might have said to you that you're not sure why?" I asked her gently.

"Ascende superius." She whispered, only I heard it. "I know it. Titus told me when I was much younger, on a few years spent living." She moved passed me, getting closer to the chip that was now sitting in a hold for it. "Ascende superius." 

After a second passed, the chip began to glow and lightly colored strings flew out of it, as if it was floating. I reached for Lexa, pulling her back slightly and towards me, away from the chip. Raven grabbed a tool, putting it closer towards the chip until it closed itself up. Raven leaned down, repeating the words and letting it open again.

I watched as she drew closer to it, and soon the colored strings started floating towards her, wanting to reach her face. I reacted quickly, grabbing onto her and pulling her away from it. "Oh, hey, no. When someone without the blood takes the Flame, the Flame takes their life."

"Okay," Sinclair sighed. "There must be another way to access the code, then."

"There's not" Said Raven, who shook her head. "Until we find it a host, we won't know how to stop ALIE."

"Then let's find a host." I said, grabbing onto Lexa's hand. "Come on, Bellamy's waiting, and so's Luna."

Lexa and I started walking quickly, with Monty behind us. My boots made a loud thudding noise as I walked down the hallway, and the lights were flickering around us. I was holding onto her hand tightly, my fingers intertwined between hers. 

Monty was talking, mostly to himself. I knew that he was feeling a deep sorrow after having to put a bullet through his mother's heart. And I felt for him, I really did. I couldn't imagine having to do what he did. I know that I killed Finn, I put the knife through his heart, as Monty put the bullet through his mother's. But that's the difference, it was a boy who I had loved, but that was his mother.

I turned around to console him, to say anything that might make him feel better. But I was cut off when music started playing. An eerie feeling crept up on me and goose bumps rose on my arms as I recognized the song. An old folk song, Rock-A-Bye Baby, was playing. I turned around, pulling my gun out of my hand.

"Someone's here." I said quietly, taking a few steps ahead of them. "Lexa, Monty, stay back." I told them.

"Clar-"

"Just do it Lexa." I told her again, rounding the corner. The song kept on playing, echoing in the silent halls.

"Following the creepy music is a bad idea." Monty said from behind me, as both he and Lexa didn't listen to what I said. I ignored him and continued. "Or we can follow the creepy music."

We continued to follow the sound, down the hallway and around another corner. I finally saw what was making the noise, an old music box that was sitting on the floor. My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as I cocked the gun in my hands, ready to fire at whoever was there.

The music slowed down until it came to a creepy stop. I knelt down, picking up the box and flipping it over. "Aaron." I whispered, reading the name on the back of it. 

"I don't like this." Monty said; someone put there hand on my shoulder and I didn't know if it was Lexa or him. 

"We should go, Clarke." Lexa said ever so slowly.

A rolling sound came from behind us and I jumped up, turning around. Bright red gas began gushing from the cans and I dropped the music box. "Gas. Run!" I yelled. I grabbed onto Lexa, wrapping my arm around her waist and telling them to cover their noises with their hands. I started coughing, as well as they did, and gasping for air as the gas began to overcome us. I couldn't breathe and just as we were about to turn the corner, a figure started walking through the gas.

I coughed harder, finding it hard to stand as the gas started to affect my body. I collapsed in a fit of coughs, Lexa by my side. I was still holding onto her tightly as my eyes began to grow heavy and I felt as if I was coughing up my lungs. I dropped down onto the floor, my eyes closing. Lexa's hand released mine and I knew that she was knocked out

It was then that I felt the footsteps by me, and soon, a hand was pressing itself to my neck. It a flash, I brought my hands up and pulled the mask off the face of who was above me. My eyes widened as I saw his. "Emerson." Soon, all I saw was black.

 

 

**Tell me what you think!**


	19. Emerson

****

 

**Klarke:**

My eyes fluttered open and when I looked up, I saw the Ark's ceiling. I heard someone trying to yell, and when I looked to my left, I saw the airlock. My eyes widened when I saw that everyone I had been with was tied up in here. I moved to stand up, running towards the glass. I pounded on the glass with my first, yelling loudly. I tried to get them to hear me but they could not hear me. I knew that they saw me, because Lexa was trying her hardest to break free.

Monty and Harper were tied up on the floor, next to each other. Their mouths were gagged and their hands there tied back, as well as their feet. Miller and Bryan were next to them, and across the room, was Octavia, tied to the wall with her mouth gagged as well. Bellamy sat on the floor near her, with Raven and Jasper by his side. And then sat Lexa, in the middle of the floor. Her hands were tied back, and her feet were tied in the front of her, her mouth gagged.

Tears burned my eyes at the realization of what was happening, and when I heard footsteps behind me, I quickly turned around. I reached to grab my gun foolishly; it was gone. I stared at Emerson as he approached me, a gun in his hand, and with a twisted smile on his face.

"Clarke." He said, walking past me and towards the airlock. I turned around, watching as he hit the red button and the doors opened. I took a step forward but stopped when he shot the gun, the bullet bouncing off the floor and landing somewhere behind me. Everyone jumped, but Lexa was only thrashing around, trying to get free.

"Stay where you are and get on your knees." He said, pointing the gun at me. 

I shook my head. "Emerson, I know it's me that you want. Just let them go." I tried to rationalize. Emerson smiled, laughing sickly before pointing the gun at Lexa's head and cocking it. "No, stop." I yelled out as Lexa froze. I could see how fast she was breathing and I knew that she was scared, I could see it in her green eyes. I swallowed the lump in my throat and slowly dropped down onto my knees. 

"Put your hands behind your head." I did as he told me, the gun still pointing towards Lexa. "Do you remember the last time that you saw me? It's funny, I bet you wish that you killed me then. You should have known that this would've happened."

"Please, I'll do anything, just stop." I told him, my voice strong and full of anger. He only rolled his eyes as he reached down, grabbing a fist full of Lexa's hair and pulling harshly. My eyes burned with tears as I watched Lexa's face twist in pain. "Stop! Please!" 

"Why should I stop? You didn't stop when you killed my family, my people!" He yelled. "You're lucky I don't put a bullet straight through her heard right now... well, maybe I should." He held the gun back up to her head and I couldn't stop tears that slipped down my eyes.

He cocked the gun and held it there before a few seconds before laughing loudly. "No, no. Not worth the bullets, I have a better idea anyway. But still, maybe she should bleed a little." He said.

I screamed no as I watched him hit her across the face with the gun. She fell backwards slightly, but he only used her hair to pull her back up. Blood was gushing from a cut above her eye and her nose. I thought it was over, but my thoughts were proven wrong when he kicked her in her side, and she fell over. 

My tears burned so hot down my cheeks and I closed my eyes, not being able to watch as he struck her, again and again. She didn't scream once, nor did she protest at all. When I opened my eyes, I saw her sitting up, her eyes closed. The gag in her mouth was covered in her black blood, as well as other parts of her face. 

Emerson was looking down at her, a twisted smile on his face, and I took that as a chance to move. But he saw me before I could get to my feet, and he put the gun to her head and cocked it. "Get down on your knees, Clarke. I'm not going to tell you again."

I dropped down onto my knees, watching as he pulled Lexa by her hair towards the front of airlock. He then dropped her, climbing out of it himself and closing the doors. I blinked back the tears that fell and tried my best to get him to stop. "You can do anything you want with me, okay? Just let them go." 

Emerson walked behind me, the gun now pointing at me. I was breathing heavy, and winced when he grabbed me by the hair, pulling me to my feet. I was slammed into the glass, my face hitting it hard and I could feel blood as it slowly dripped from my nose. He wrapped his arm around my neck, pushing me again and again into the glass. The cold top of the gun was pushed up against my head and I could feel his breath on me as he spoke.

"You murdered three hundred and one people. You took the lives of my children, my brothers, my friends." He slammed me into the glass again and I closed my eyes, so I didn't see the faces of my friends in there, that were about to die because of me. "I want more than just one life."

He pulled my back by my neck and I struggled to breathe as my feet dragged on the floor. I watched as he hit the button and the airlock room turned red. The voice over the system started to talk. "Airlock five, oxygen venting. Airlock five, oxygen venting." It said over and over.

I was pushed up against the glass again, my neck being pressed against. "Now you're gonna feel what  I felt." He said as I was forced to watch my friends. Lexa was sitting on the floor, looking up at me with tears flowing from her eyes. The hurt I felt in my heart was worse than any physical toll, but I remained trapped in the monsters arms. I could see them struggling as the air began to grow thin. "Beg me to stop it." Emerson said, pressing the gun to my head.

When I didn't say anything, he slammed me against the glass again and I couldn't help but to I cry. " I told you to beg!" He yelled, pushing the gun harder into my head.

"I'm begging you..." I cried.

"Louder." He yelled.

"Please!" I screamed, my voice echoing as I watched my friends and my Lexa struggle to breathe. 

I struggled, trying to think of something that would get him to realize his grip on me. I stopped struggling when an idea came to mind, and I quickly acted. "Aaron wouldn't want you to do this." I told him.

"You don't say his name!" He yelled. In that second he released his grip, I was able to wedge my arm free and I hit him in the face with my elbow. He was knocked backwards and I immediately went to hit the button, but his arms on my waist pulled me backwards and I fell onto the floor. I struggled on the floor as he climbed on top of me. I tried my hardest to punch him, but he easily held me down. His fist collided with my face and I grunted in pain.

In my second of pain, he put his knees on my arms, pinning me down. His hands wrapped themselves around my neck, squeezing tightly. I couldn't breathe, and the blood was humming in my skull. It began to ache as I struggled but was left defenseless as I gasped for breath. I saw black circles before I closed my eyes, feeling myself dying.

The grip on my neck was released and the weight on my body was gone, and I started coughing as air began to fill my lungs again. He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me up, sitting behind me and locking my head between his arms; facing the airlock. When I opened my eyes, I saw Lexa. She was on her side, struggling to breathe what little air she had left through a blood soaked gag. I could tell that she may only have minutes of her life left, and the thought alone was enough to make me see red.

"First, you'll watch them die." Emerson said as I dropped one of my arms, reaching into my pocket. "You have any last words for your friends?" He asked me.

"Yeah," I coughed out, pulling the chip from my pocket. "Ascende superius." I whispered, reaching up and placing the open chip onto his neck. His grip on me released and I bent over, coughing up blood as he struggled behind me. I didn't pay any mind to him, knowing that he would be dead within minutes. Instead, I went for the button, pressing it quickly and getting the doors to open. 

I stumbled into it, on my knees with blood dripping from my mouth. I looked around, watching as they started to breathe again, coughing through the gags in their mouths. I collapsed near Harper, and reached as far as I could, pulling on the rope that tied her. I was still struggling to breathe, my neck bruises and blood still drenching my nose and mouth. I could still see black circles and I felt my body giving way. Thankfully I was able to get her hands on tied, and then I fell onto my back, looking up at the ceiling.

Soon, the noises around my faded as I grew lightheaded, as if I were floating. I think I must have mumbled Lexa's name, because I saw Harper walking over me to where she was lying. A few seconds later, Lexa's face was above mine, her's covered in black blood while my was covered in red.

"Clarke?" Lexa said, but it rang in my ears. I started coughing again and I felt hands on my shoulders, helping me sit up. I think Lexa moved, because soon she was behind me and I was leaning against her back with my head on her shoulder. Her chin was pressed against the side of my face and she rubbed the side of my head, pulling away the hair with blood in it.

I saw Bellamy's face in front of mine then, in fact, I saw two of them. After a few seconds, their faces merged into one and soon the ringing in my ears was gone and I could hear. I swallowed, feeling the pain in my throat and I blinked back tears as I started to breathe normally again.

"Someone get her water!" Bellamy yelled, reaching up to touch my face.

"I'm okay." I croaked out. My voice sounded so raspy, so sore. It hurt like hell to talk and I reached up, touching my throat and wincing when I felt the bruises.

"You saved us." Harper whispered, appearing with a canteen of water. Lexa grabbed it from her, unscrewing it and bringing it to my lips. She didn't wait until I was ready, and water ran down my lips before my brain registered to open my mouth. The lukewarm water was disgusting, but it felt good on my burning throat and as soon as I swallowed, I started coughing.

Monty half smiled as he knelt next to us. "She always does, she's Clarke."

*******

I was sitting by the fire that Octavia had built, pressing a wet towel to the cuts on Lexa's face. She was sitting in front of me, the light of the fire on her face. I was cleaning the dried blood from her face, carefully and gently so I didn't hurt any of the cuts or bruises that formed. My heart ached as the thought of this happening to her, because of me. I grabbed the towel with my left hand, tracing my right hand along side of her face, the sharp curve of her cheek and then the strong jawline set just below. 

"I'm so sorry I did this to you." I whispered. 

Lexa opened her eyes, and reached up to grab my hand that was still set on her face. "Ai laik yuj, Klarke Kom Skaikru. En's ku. It is not your fault."

"I know you're strong, Lex. But that doesn't mean that any of this is okay. I couldn't protect you." My voice cracked and I felt stupid for it. 

Lexa moved to her knees, kneeling in front of me. Her head was at the same height as mine and she reached over with her hands, pulling me towards her. She pressed her lips against mine, them perfectly molding against each other. After a second, she pulled away, resting her forehead against mine. "You did protect me, hodnes. You saved my life, do not forget that about tonight. It was you who did that, not I, and not anyone else."

I heard footsteps from behind me and I looked, watching as Bellamy approached us. He was carrying a body wrapped in a cloth, and my stomach dropped, already knowing who it was. I stood up, and Lexa did with me. I watched as Bellamy crossed the field and walked up to Octavia. I felt a lump in my throat as Bellamy placed Lincoln's body in front of her.

We all stood by Octavia, watching as she pulled the cloth back to reveal only his face. I felt a hand grab onto mine and I looked at Lexa, knowing what she was thinking. This could have been one of us if we hadn't been careful, and it still could be.

My heart ached when I heard Octavia cry in agony. She covered her mouth to try and help it, but stopped when she saw it wouldn't. Her cries were something of a nightmare, and I felt sick to my stomach listening to it. The grip on my hand tightened and I felt Lexa move closer to me, pressing herself against me. I looked away from Octavia, not being able to watch as she said goodbye to the only man that she ever loved.

Bellamy moved to pick the body up after Octavia moved, bringing him over to where we had already sent up a burning for Sinclair. We all moved over there, silently, watching as Bellamy stepped back and joined my side. I knew that he was hurting, I could see it in his face. So I reached over, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. He looked over at me, a small smile on his face, before turning away again. I released his hand, moving it to grab onto Lexa's arm, the one that held my hand.

"May we meet again." Raven said, touching Sinclair's shoulder before stepping back. Octavia stepped forward, putting the torch underneath the wood and catching it on fire. 

"Yu gonplei ste odon." She said loudly as the bodies began to burn.

Everyone spoke out at once, saying the only words that seemed to fit. "Yu gonplei ste odon."

*******

We decided to stay there for the night, most of us were too weak to walk or sore to. The lot of us were still struggling to breathe normally again, so we decided that spending the night here would be better than risking it in the woods. So once the bodies were burned, we all split up and said our good nights. I decided on showing Lexa where I used to sleep, the same bunker as my mother.

We walked slowly to the room, Lexa holding most of my body weight due to the soreness in my body. I felt as if I had fallen down a cliff, and it seemed like everything hurt. When we finally got to the room, I didn't think that I would ever be as happy as I was when I saw the bed, and I immediately rushed from Lexa's side, climbing onto the bed and lying on my back. I sighed in a mix of pain and content as I stared at the ceiling.

I heard Lexa chuckle softly, as she walked over to the foot off the bed. I watched in silence as she untied my boots, pulling them one by one off my feet. She then took my socks off, and I laughed softly when she tickled my feet. Lexa only smiled, coming to the only side of the bed open to the room and grabbed my hands, helping me sit up. I didn't bother moving as she helped me take off the long jacket that I was wearing, nor did I help her when she lifted my shirt off my body.

"Where do you keep your sleeping clothes?" She whispered softly.

I nodded my head towards the cabinets that were built into the walls. Lexa walked over and pulled them open, taking clothes out of the drawers. I was surprised when I saw that my mother had kept my clothes in there. I was guessing that she still hoped I was coming home.

When Lexa came back over to me, she handed me the shirt and went to sit behind me. I closed my eyes as she unclasped my bra, pulling it off my arms and dropping it onto the floor with my skirt and my jacket. Her arms reached around my waist, wrapping themselves around me and pulling me closer to her. I smiled in her warmth, feeling her lips kiss my bruises body gently. Over to quickly, she pulled the shirt over my naked torso before helping me take my pants off. I winced in pain as I moved, my hips hurting from when Emerson had sat on them. He was a heavy man.

Once I was just lying in the shirt, Lexa pulled the covers over me before attending to her own clothes. I watched as she undressed, dropping all of her clothes onto the floor and then putting another shirt on. She came over to the bed then, and climbed over me carefully, settling next to me. She leaned her head against my shoulder, wrapping an arm around my waist. 

"I love you." She whispered quietly in the dark of the room.

"Ai hod yu in, Leksa."


	20. Hodnes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adult Content

__

 

_[explicit]_

**Klarke:**

I could feel Lexa's hands on my stomach, gently rubbing my skin as I stared into the darkness. My thoughts kept returning to the events of today and how easily I could have lost Lexa. I kept thinking about how Octavia sounded when she cried, like someone cut her throat and she was still trying to cry. I didn't know how to describe the horrific cries that escaped her tonight, and I couldn't help but imagine that as me.

Losing Lexa today would have been so easy if I made one bad move. A bullet would have ended her life, or she would have been suffocated. It didn't matter how, it just mattered why. I held onto her tightly, feeling my heart beating faster as just the idea of losing her. I couldn't bare it, and I don't think that I really realized it until today, until now.

"Clarke," Lexa said suddenly. "What is it?"

I didn't want to tell her the thoughts that roamed my head, I didn't want her to worry about me. I was okay, I really was. I knew that things were okay for now, and that I would do whatever it took to make sure that it stayed that way. I trusted myself; I knew that I would keep her safe, no matter what. 

"I'm okay, just a little sore." I told her. I wasn't lying, I really was sore from today, and from yesterday, and from pretty much every day since Lexa and I escaped Polis. 

Lexa moved to sit up, the covers being pulled off of me. I could barely see Lexa through the darkness, the only light coming from a few candles across the room. She put both her hands on my stomach, gently touching the bruises that covered my skin. Her hands were cold and goose bumps rose on my body at the touch. Lexa leaned down, kissing my skin softly. 

My eyes closed as I focused on her lips, kissing nearly every inch of my stomach and the curve of my hips. It was a nice change of pace compared to the past few days we had, and I couldn't help but let all my thoughts escape from my head and only focus on one thing. I shifted my hips as I started feeling that familiar burn in the pit of my stomach. Lexa noticed and she stopped, looking up at me.

"Really, Clarke?"

I groaned, "I'm sorry I can't help it. I went weeks on end wanting nothing more than you, you can't blame me for this." I told her.

She laughed, moving up and lying on her side next to me. I could just make out her face, and I smiled when I saw her smiling. She leaned in, pressing her lips against mine. In the beginning, it was soft, but I couldn't help myself as I started to quicken the kiss. I felt Lexa smile through the kiss, but she stopped when I bit down on her bottom lip, running my tongue on the soft skin. I felt her moan into my mouth and her hand moved from my waist to inside my shirt.

The kiss only became faster, matching my breathing as I felt her cup the side of my breast. I couldn't help but push myself into her hand, needing her to touch me even more. I reached up, grabbing Lexa's face and trying to pull her closer to me. She breathed out, her hot breathe on my face only turning me on even more so. Her thumb circled my nipple, squeezing gently and I had to pull away from the kiss in order to breathe again. She wasted no time, pressing her lips against my neck. I felt her teeth on my skin, sucking sharply and I squinted, a mix of pain and pleasure coming from her lips.

I grabbed onto her arm, my nails digging into her skin as I shifted again. Her hand moved from my breast to my waist, circling the sensitive skin on my hips. I didn't realize that I spread my legs open, the covers slipping off of us. Lexa's hand slid down, over the boxers that I had been wearing. I breathed heavy, moaning softly in her ear.

"Lexa..." I breathed out, not knowing exactly what I was asking her for. Lexa seemed to understand, because she moved her lips from my neck and pressed them against mine, kissing me quickly. I couldn't focus on her lips, being that she kept moving her hand up and down through the underwear, making it hard to breathe.

"I love you." She mumbled through the kiss before moving her hand, slipping her cold fingers into my underwear. I moved back a little, breaking the kiss as I let out a moan. She leaned in kissing me again before moving her hands down, using the tips of her fingers to send electric shocks down my body till I could feel it in my toes.

Lexa moved, sitting up slightly. Her hand moved and I groaned in protest, missing the friction from when she was touching me. "Sin daun, Clarke." She told me breathlessly, and I did as she asked, sitting up. She helped me take off the shirt that adorned the top half of my body, and then helped me out of my already damp underwear. I leaned in to kiss her, but she pulled back, pulling off her own shirt and taking off her own undergarments. She then grabbed me, pushing me backwards and climbing on top of me. She pressed her lips onto me forcefully, moving them so quickly that I couldn't keep up for a second or two.

Her hand found itself between my legs again, only this time, not as gentle. My legs trembled and I reached up, wrapping my arms around her neck and holding her as close to me as I could. Lexa moved, her lips kissing down my neck until she reached my collarbone, softly sucking before moving further down. I grabbed the sheets with my fists, holding it tightly as she continued down my body. I was breathing so fast and so roughly, I couldn't help but try to get myself to calm down.

It was no use though, because as soon as I felt her lips down there, her tongue poking out softly and caressing me more softly then her fingers did, I couldn't help but let a loud moan out, her name leaving my lips. Her hand reached up, intertwining with mine. I felt her wet fingers on mine but I ignored them, holding onto her hand tightly as she moved faster.

I was practically panting then, my breath coming out in pants as my legs began to shake. I reached down with my other hand, grabbing her hair carefully and pulling ever so softly, knowing that it still may hurt her. But luckily it didn't, she only took it as encouragement; too soon her hand left mine, pressing two fingers into me, moving ever so slowly into me, and then out- all while her tongue worked against me, sucking and nipping softly.

"Lexa..." I groaned, feeling my legs begin to shake. She only moved quicker, so quickly that I couldn't imagine how fast she was going. I closed my eyes, grabbing onto the pillow that my head was resting on before biting my lip, groaning loudly as I felt it in my whole body. I breathed out heavily as I went through the motions, my legs cramping as they seemed to go numb. Lexa pulled away from me after I finally finished, and she crawled over me, sliding down so she was half on top of me and half on the bed. I breathed out as I opened my eyes, running my hand through my hair and wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"Fuck." I said loudly, shifting uncomfortably as I felt the damp sheets on my thighs. I heard Lexa chuckling softly and I turned slightly, pressing my lips against hers. She kissed me slowly, not trying to deepen the kiss or to turn anything into something. I pulled away after a second, looking at her with a confused look. "Don't you want me to..." I trailed off, suddenly feeling embarrassed at what I was about to ask her.

"No, noumou yu." Lexa told me. "I only want you to feel good right now, hodnes. Do not worry for me, we have all the time in the world." She sat up then, reaching down and grabbing the covers. They were pulled over us, and I watched as she laid down on her side, resting her hand in between my side and my arm, right on my chest. Her arm wrapped around my bare waist, already rubbing circles in the skin.

"Are you sure? I don't mind, I want to." I told her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and leaning my cheek against the top of her head. 

"Sha . I get enough pleasure just watching you, hodnes." Lexa told me, causing me to blush.

"Shut up, Heda."

*******

When I woke up the next morning, Lexa was gone. The bed was cold, so I knew that she had been gone a while. In the thirty seconds that I've been awake, I knew that I missed her already and it was almost killing me. So I quickly got out of the bed and got dressed, the same clothes as yesterday. I zipped the leather boots on quickly, and walked out the door. 

I figured that she would be with the rest of my friends, and I knew that they would definitely be eating at this time- especially after yesterday.

I was still trying to process everything that happened, and not just yesterday. The entire last few weeks have been crazy, especially after Lexa and I first took that step forward. Thinking about her, it took away all the pain. It took away every part of self hatred that I felt for myself, for my life, and for everything else. I was happy when I was with her, and I didn't feel the burden of a thousand lives on my shoulders. Instead, I felt like the eighteen year old girl I was.

Deciding to go to the kitchen first was the right decision, as they were all gathered around the table. Lexa was sitting next to Octavia and I noticed that she had put her war paint on. I questioned on where she got it, but soon remembered that Lincoln always had some in his bunker that he shared with Octavia. Bellamy was sitting with Monty and Raven, while Bryan and Miller were looking for what I'm assuming is more food. I smiled at them, noticing that for once, it seemed like we were once teenagers. We weren't the hundred that fell to the ground, and we weren't at war. We were just us.

"Clarke!" I looked over at Raven, who announced my presence and soon everyone turned to look at me. My eyes met Lexa's quickly, but I looked away before I started to blush. I walked over to them, sitting across from Lexa, and next to Raven. "Wow, you guys got matching hickey's, huh? Damn, those were the good ol' days." Raven shook her head.

Lexa looked at me full of curiosity but I only shook my head. "We should probably head out soon, you guys."

"About that," Monty said. "We aren't going. You, Octavia, Lexa, and Bellamy are, but the rest of us aren't. We're gonna stay here and see if we can get further into ALIE's mind. Raven thinks there's place she could be hidden in the Ark."

I nodded my head. "Okay, just be safe."

*******

Hours later, my ass was beginning to ache because of the metal in the rover. Jasper, Lexa, and I were all in the back of it while Bellamy drove with Octavia in the front seat. It was raining hard, and it was a little cold outside, which meant that the inside of the rover was cold as well. I was sitting next to Lexa, but we weren't touching. I did not want Jasper to see, I didn't want to give him anymore reason to hate me.

"It's been an hour since we passed the airplane wreckage." Jasper said suddenly. We all turned to look at him, wondering why he interrupted the silence. "Seeing as we're using a map without any distances, it could be days before we reach Luna's village."

"At least we know we're going in the right direction." Bellamy said from up front.

"We're running out of daylight. We should stop in the sun, recharge the battery." Jasper said.

"What sun?" I spoke, looking at the window. "We keep going until it dies." 

"We keep doing until we get to Luna." Octavia said loudly, and angrily.

Jasper held up the book, looking at Lexa. I watched as Lexa lowered her eyes at him; I knew that she did not like him in the slightest. "Is this her?" He held up a drawing of a woman.

"Yes." 

"What do you think she's gonna say when we show up asking to put an A.I. in her head?" Jasper asked us, being as annoying as ever.

"Lincoln said that she helps those that are in trouble, she'll help us, too."

I watched as Bellamy turned around a corner, instantly hitting the breaks when he saw a tree in the middle of the path. I grabbed onto the seat, keeping myself balanced as Lexa grabbed onto me. I knew that she did not like the cars, I didn't blame her for it either. I wasn't a big fan, I preferred horses. But this was the fastest way, so we had to do it.

The car came to a stop as Jasper made an annoying joke that no one responded to. Octavia jumped, opening the door and getting out of the car. Bellamy sighed and mumbled something to himself, before climbing out of the car. We all moved at once, following them as we left the rover. Lexa grabbed onto my hand when I offered it up to her, helping her down from the rover. She then interlocked our fingers and a small smile was brought to my face at her action.

I walked quickly, dragging Lexa behind me as we caught up to them. I let go of her hand, fixing the bag that was on my back. I froze as I heard a familiar noise, and Octavia looked over at me. "You hear that?" She asked.

"It's water." I nodded, running to follow Octavia up a steep hill. 

We continued running for a few minutes, dodging trees left and right and following a river before we finally made it to the end of the forest. The open ocean came to view and I wanted to take a second to marvel at how beautiful it was- even if it was in this disgusting weather. The waves were hitting the shores, and birds were flying in the distance. I looked over at Lexa, who was staring at it in beauty too. 

"Where's the village?" Jasper asked. And that was when I realized, there was no village. There was no clan that lived her, it didn't look like anyone lived here.

"No..." Octavia whispered, looking in the book. She took off, running down the length of the beach and we all followed her. She ran towards the part that was sticking out into the water, and we all followed it. There were stacks of rocks pilled up, but there was no sign of life other than that.

"Isn't a village." Jasper said from behind us. "It's just a bunch of rocks."

"She's gone." I whispered as dread filled every inch of my body. 

"What do we do now?"


	21. Luna Kom Flukru

****

 

**Klarke:**

"It'll be dark soon." I said, standing up. "We need to talk about what we're gonna do." 

"We wait until first light, and then we split up and search the shore in both directions." Octavia said from where she sat on the floor, rubbing two sticks together to build a fire for us all. I watched in silence as she succeed, a small fire growing.

"I agree, Lincoln wouldn't have put this spot on the map unless it was important." Bellamy said, bending down to grab the journal. Octavia turned quickly, hitting his hand away and grabbing the book.

"Don't touch that." She yelled, her anger sky rocketing. An awkward tension grew over everyone, and no one knew what to say.

"Come on, O. How long?" Bellamy said as he knelt down next to his younger sister.

"I don't know." She was throwing sticks into the fire. "I can't even look at you because every time I do, I see Pike putting that gun to Lincoln's head. I hear the gunshot, I see him fall." Octavia said, and I could hear the pain in her voice.

"I didn't kill Lincoln." Bellamy said.

Octavia stood up and I could see that she was getting angrier. "No, but he is dead because of you." 

Bellamy rose himself, shaking his head. "I came to you. You didn't take my help. If you had just trusted me, I-" He stopped when Octavia threw the sticks in her hands at him, shaking her head. Bellamy shook his own head, giving up and walking away. I went to follow him, but Lexa grabbed my arm and held me back.

"He needs time for himself. That's his sister..." She whispered. I knew that she was right, but it didn't mean that I didn't wanna help him or make him feel better.

I went to go sit down, but paused when I saw Jasper throw something into the fire, it lighting up into a green fire. Both Lexa and I took a step back, and she made sure that she was in front  of me.

"What did you just do?" Octavia yelled, her anger being directed at Jasper.

"Nothing. I just threw these in the fire." He shrugged, holding up a branch. Octavia froze for a second before grabbing the journal, quickly opening it.

"What is it?" I asked her.

Octavia pulled a piece of a pine needle from the book, throwing it into the fire and watching as it turned green. "Signal fire. He was trying to tell us. This is how we contact Luna."

"I'll get more." Jasper said, quickly running off to grab more.

The sky grew dark in the next couple of hours as we built the fire up, the green glow never ending. Lexa went hunting and she was lucky enough to bring everyone back food, so we were all sitting around the fire, eating. I was leaning against the rock, eating the cooked meat with my hands. It was silent, nobody said anything while we ate. The tensions were still high as Bellamy and Octavia refused to talk, or even look, at each other.

Eventually, I couldn't take it any longer. The silence only gave me time to think, and I tried not to do that much anymore. I stood up, wiping my hands on my pants and walked away from the fire. The night air was much cooler here along the coast then it was in Polis, or at the Arkadia. It was nice, though, I enjoyed it. I could hear the wounds of the waves hitting the sand, and I could smell the salt from the water. 

My feet were sinking into the soft sand, and I found it as an odd feeling, standing in sand. I was lost in thought, thinking of how I was going to save my people, when I felt a hand touch my arm. I turned slightly, meeting the green eyes of the woman I loved. Lexa looked at me silently, trying to read me. 

"Are you okay, Clarke?" She asked me slowly.

I nodded, my mouth opening to speak before something caught my eye. Something was in the water, and it was coming closer. I narrowed my eyes as I stared, watching as men began to rise above the waves. I took a step back slightly before grabbing onto Lexa, pulling her with me.

They came quickly, before any of us could react. I struggled as I was grabbed roughly and pushed down onto my knees. I could hear everyone struggling, really, and when I looked at Lexa, she was staring back at me. She was on her knees, with two large men holding her down. I felt a fabric move over my mouth, tying tightly around my head. I struggled, trying to push away the Grounders but it was no use. 

They pulled me on my feet, pushing me forward. Somehow, my hands were tied behind my back and when I looked at Lexa, she was tied up as well. We were ushered towards the fire, where everyone else was standing still, arrows and spears inches away from killing them.

"No, no." Octavia tried. One of the grounders started to speak and before I could even begin to translate it in my head, Octavia answered him.

"Skaikru, bringers of death... why should we give you safe passage?" He asked us.

"Lincoln." Octavia said. "He sent us." 

The man spoke and soon Lexa and I's hands were freed, as well as the gag around our mouths. I licked my lips as soon as it was gone, and rubbed my wrists. "What's going on?" I heard Jasper whisper. Octavia said something, but I didn't hear here.

The man handed us something, a small green vial. I stared at it, holding it in my hands before asking what it was. The man stared at me for a second before finally answering. "Safe passage."

"What does it do?" Jasper asked, getting only silence in return. Before anyone could react, Octavia took the cap out and downed it, tossing the vial onto the floor next to her.

"Octavia, wait." Bellamy yelled, stepping towards his sister.

"I trust Lincoln." She said, staring at her brother.

"If only she drinks, only she goes." The man said, staring at the rest of us.

Jasper was the next to drink it, "See you on the other side." He mumbled before swallowing it all. I looked between Jasper and Octavia, my eyes widening as I watched Octavia begin to stumble. She fell to the ground, out cold, as Jasper stared at her with wide eyes as well. "Oh crap." He lost his footing, stumbling before falling onto his knees. Bellamy fell next, and it was then that I realized I didn't even watch him drink it. He must have done it after Octavia did it.

"Last chance." The man said to Lexa and I.

I turned to look at her, seeing a scared look behind the green eyes. "Together." I told her, watching as she nodded. We both moved quickly, drinking the foul tasting green liquid. It was only a few seconds before I felt myself growing too weak to stand and falling onto the ground.

*******

My eyes opened slowly at first, then all together. I blinked quickly, allowing my eyes to adjust to the brightness in the room. My head ached for a few seconds, but as I sat up, it grew dull. I looked around, seeing my friends around me. Bellamy and Octavia were lying on the floor, spread out, while Jasper was in the corner, lying as well. Lexa was furthest away from me, her back facing me and I couldn't tell if she was awake or not. I moved slowly, my body sore for an unknown reason.

I crawled towards her, grabbing onto her arm and pulling her so she laid on her back. Her face now facing up, I watched as she slowly began to wake up. I breathed out a sigh of relief, reaching down and cupping the side of her face, rubbing my thumb of her soft skin. "Lexa..." I breathed out, watching as she came to her senses. She jumped up, looking around the room quickly before settling her eyes on me.

"Clarke..." She said my name slowly, looking behind me at our friends. I turned to look, watching as they began to wake up themselves. I stood up, helping Lexa onto her feet as Bellamy rose to his.

"Where the hell are we?" He mumbled.

"My swords gone." Octavia said, looking around the room. It was then that I noticed all of our weapons are gone.

"Guns, too." I told them.

Octavia moved quickly, banging on the walls with her fist. It lasted a second or two before the doors to the crate opened, and a bright light shined through. I squinted my eyes, adjusting as people began to walk towards us.

A woman with curly brown hair appeared, wearing all black. She had hard features, and dark hair. Two guards were standing behind her and when Lexa saw who it was, she moved to stand partially in front of me. I reached forward, touching her arm, trying to tell her that it was okay and I was okay, before I realized who it was.

"Luna..." Octavia said, walking towards the woman. We all moved closer, watching as the curly haired girl took us all in. I could feel tension in the air, and I didn't understand what was happening or why there was so much tension.

"Where's Lincoln?" Luna spoke, her voice was deep.

"Lincoln is dead. Lincoln said that you would help us."  Octavia said.

"Did he?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Luna," I stepped forward. "You're the last of your kind, the last Nightblood." I knew Lexa was growing uneasy, but I didn't understand why. What had happened between the two of them?

Luna's eyes glanced over at Lexa. "You were robbed of the flame, then?" She asked. When Lexa didn't answer, I pulled the small box from my bag and showed her the flame.

"The spirit has chosen you to become the next Commander." I told her.

"I left my conclave swearing to never kill again." Luna told us.

"You don't have to kill," I shook my head. "To lead is your birthright, how you lead is your choice." I told her. I walked closer to her, showing her the chip that was placed in my hand. "Here"

Luna looked down at it slowly, placing her hands on the side of mine. "I recognize the sacred symbol, but what is that?"

"That is the Flame that holds the spirit of the Commanders, of Lexa. Will you take it and become the next Commander?" I asked, looking up at the curly haired woman.

"No." 

*******

We weren't able to convince Luna to take the spirit of the Commander. Even when I discussed it with her alone, or when we talked about it with everyone else. She was stubborn, much more stubborn than I thought that she was- than anyone thought. I don't think that Lincoln would even have thought of her like this- so unwilling to help. I thought that maybe if I were to convince her, maybe she would take it. But she didn't. **  
**

So after a few hours, we knew that we needed to find another solution. Either way, we were getting kicked off the huge floating ship. I thought that maybe I could try talking to her again, that maybe if I said the right things, maybe she would go along with me. When that didn't work, I thought that maybe forcing the spirit into her would work- but I only ended up on my back, her face towering over me.

"I didn't flee the conclave because I was afraid I would lose." She told me, looking down at me as pain spread across my back. "I fled because I knew I would win. You should be grateful, Clarke. After I was forced to kill my own brother in the first round, I was matched against Lexa in the second. Fate is funny that way, don't you think?" She pulled me up, allowing me to stand on my own to feet.

"You'll get this back when you leave." Luna said, making me realize that she was holding the chip. I sighed heavily as she walked away, bringing my arm up and rubbing my back.

I turned around, my eyes meeting Bellamy's as he stared at me. He shook his head slightly, a small smile playing on his face. "You trying to get yourself killed?" He only half joked.

The sound of a door closing caused me to look up, and Lexa ran out from behind it, Octavia behind her. She immediately ran over to me, grabbing onto my arms and inspecting my face. I squinted my eyes at her, brushing off her hands as she kept looking at my face and my arms. "I'm okay, Lex." I told her.

"What happened?" Lexa asked me.

"She tried to do something stupid. She's lucky that Luna is so peaceful, otherwise Princess over here would be dead." Bellamy told her. "Now come on, let's get something to eat before we leave."


	22. A Long Few Days

**Klarke:**

The next few days were long. We left Flukru, unable to convince Luna from taking the chip. Unfortunately, in the wake of us leaving, Jasper took the chip. It was a blow to us all, but there was nothing we could do now. 

We rode back to the Ark in mostly silence, especially with Jasper around. I didn't like being around him anymore, I honestly hated it. I used to love him, and I believe that a part of me still does, he was one of my people that I vowed to protect so long ago, but there was nothing that I could do about it now. Too much had been done between us, too much had been said, to save any sort of friendship. He was digging his own grave, honestly, nobody in camp likes him anymore. The only person that still tries is Monty, but I have a feeling he'll be giving up once he finds out Jasper took the chip. 

It took us two days to get back to the Ark, and we were almost there too. Until we were attacked. A tree fell on top of the rover, causing it to stop. Before we knew it, the door was thrown open and we were attacked. Too many people were there and soon we were all taken. All of us, but Jasper. 

 

 

*******

**This is where we start branching away from the show**


	23. Lexa

****

 

**Klarke:**

When my eyes opened, I looked around quickly, trying to figure out where I was. I didn't know exactly, but I had a feeling I was in the capital. It had a feeling of home to it, and I knew that I was there. My hands were above my head, chained to a wall of rocks. When I looked around, I saw that everyone else was there as well, all chained to the wall- even Indra and Pike were there, along with a few more of my people as well. Everyone else but Lexa. My heart started to beat faster as I looked around again, checking the room once more for her before coming to terms with the fact that she wasn't there.

"Where's Lexa?" I asked to nobody in particular. 

"She wasn't here when we woke up." Octavia said, not meeting my eyes. I think I gasped or something, some sort of animal noise as I started pulling at the chains wrapped around my wrists. They were rusted and the cut against my skin, causing a stinging sensation to reach the tips of the fingers. I groaned loudly, pulling harder but it wouldn't budge.

"Clarke, stop. You're going to hurt yourself!" Bellamy yelled.

"I don't care!" I yelled, my eyes brimming with tears. "I need to find her, I need to find Lexa."

Suddenly the sound of the door opening filled the room and I paused, turning to look at the door. Three large men walked into the room, with Jasper behind them. He was talking to himself, but was talking as if there was someone else with him. My eyes narrowed as the three men came closer to me, pulling out a key and unlocking my chains. I moved quickly, trying to get away from them. I dodged the first man's swinging arms and booked it for the door, but fell short when an unusually large arm wrapped around my waist, holding me back. 

I screamed, pounding my fists of the arm as my feet lifted off the ground. "Take her upstairs to Jaha, he'll want to speak with her." Jasper said, looking at the guard that was holding me. 

"Clarke!" Bellamy yelled, and I could hear him struggling. "Let go of her!"

They didn't listen to him, for obvious reasons, and soon left the room. I was still being carried, and I struggled with each and every step he took. I made it difficult for him to get into the elevator, but when one of the guards pulled a gun on me, I stilled. I wouldn't be worth anything to my friends dead, and I wasn't going to get myself killed before I found Lexa. 

When the doors to the elevator opened, I recognized it as Lexa's top floor. I knew exactly where I was, and exactly where we were going. Soon the doors to her Throne Room opened and I blinked my eyes because of the brightness. When they adjusted, I looked around the room quickly. The first thing I noticed was the Throne. Jaha and Ontari were standing beside it, no one sitting in it. My mom was up there with them, and so was Murphy. Only Murphy didn't have that vacant look, and he had chains on his wrist. He was a prisoner, just like me. 

I was dropped onto the floor and soon footsteps were heard. I moved to stand up quickly, looking up at my mother, who was now standing in front of me. She held up a single chip. "Take the key, Clarke."

"Never." I spit at her. 

"Take the key." Jaha then said, "And all your pain will come to an end. You won't feel the hatred you feel for yourself, or the amount of lives you've taken since you touched down on the ground." Jaha told me. 

"I would rather feel every single death than take that key." I denied them, my voice loud and strong. 

"Very well." Jaha said, nodding. 

Suddenly, my arms were taken and I was dragged back, my back hitting a piece of wood in the middle of the room, my hands tied around it. I struggled, fighting the best I could but it was no use. I couldn't get myself free from it. The doors to the room opened and I looked, watching as the rest of my friends walk into the room. They were still chained and they were being led by guards. I watched them carefully, making sure that none of them were hurt. My eyes widened when I saw that Bellamy's chains weren't locked, he was holding them. And so was Octavia, and Indra, and then Pike, and everyone. They were all free,

"What is this?" I asked Jaha, yelling. 

"This is how we take control. CanTon, bring her in." Jaha said. 

My eyes moved to a guard opening one of the back doors and then disappearing behind it. After a second, Lexa was pushed through the door and my mouth opened when I saw her. There was black blood on her face, from her nose and her eyebrow. Her eye was bruised and her hair looked like it was grabbed at. There was cuts and holes in her clothes, blood drenching the cuts that were across her skin. She was limping and when the guard pushed her, she fell onto her knees. 

I blinked back tears as I quietly said her name. She looked up at me, her green eyes meeting mine and I felt my heart break. She looked so broken, so in pain. My heart was beating so fast and my anger was rising. "What the hell did you do to her?" I asked Jaha, turning to look at him. 

"Only what needed to be done." Jaha said, walking towards Lexa. "Will you take the chip, Clarke?" He asked me. 

"Never." I glared at him.

"Very well." He said, raising his arm. I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to watch as he hit her. I couldn't bare to watch, and I knew that if I did, I would take the chip. "Open your eyes Clarke, you need to see what you're making me do."

"I am okay, Clarke." Lexa's voice rang out. "Don't listen to him." I heard him hit her again and I winced, my eyes shutting tighter. When I thought I would hear it again, I didn't. So when I opened my eyes, I saw Jaha walking towards me. A knife was in his hand now and he stood next to me. 

"Will you take the chip... Lexa?" He turned to look at her, where she was knelt on the ground. 

"Never." 

"Very well." Jaha said, reaching out and slicing my stomach with the knife. I couldn't help the scream that left my lips as pain filled every nerve of my body. My knees went weak and I felt as if I was about to fall down. I could feel the warm blood gush from the open wound, down my stomach and onto the top of my pants. Jaha grabbed the part of my shirt that was cut, and pulled it. He ripped the fabric and soon I was standing there with most of my shirt cut off, and a huge cut across my stomach. 

"Will you take the chip now?" He asked. Lexa didn't say anything, she only stared at me. Tears were falling freely from my eyes and even though I felt as if I was on fire, I shook my head. She couldn't take the chip. 

Jaha moved again, bringing the knife up to my arms and cutting the skin. I closed my eyes, wincing as the knife cut across the skin. My entire arm went numb and I could feel myself growing weak. "How about now, Lexa?" He asked. When she didn't reply, he moved the knife again. This time it was at my neck, pressing against it. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I grew nervous, knowing that my time has come. Jaha started to move the knife slowly, and I squinted in pain as I felt my throat begin to be cut. 

"Stop!" Lexa screamed suddenly. "Please, stop." 

"Will you take the chip?" Jaha asked, lowering the knife. 

"I'll do anything, just stop." Lexa said. 

"No, Lexa," I said, coughing through it. "You can't."

Jaha moved from me, walking towards Lexa. I couldn't see her face then, his back covering her. A few seconds passed as I struggled, trying to break free. Jaha moved then, and I saw that Lexa was now standing. The green in her eyes was gone, covered by a cloudy color. She looked so calm, so at peace. She moved to walk towards him, no limp in her steps. Tears fell from my eyes as I saw the affect of the chip.

"Clarke," She said when she approached me finally. Her voice was so deep and so strong, it reminded me of when I first met her. "Why won't you take the chip? Everything they say is true, I feel no pain."

"Pain... is what makes us human." I told her, looking into her eyes. 

She reached up, caressing my cheek. My eyes closed as I relished in her touch, her warm hands touching my cheek and rubbing the skin under my eyes. When I opened them, I saw her holding up a single chip. "Pain is not what makes us human, Clarke. Love does. And you love me, right?" 

"Don't. You don't want this, the Lexa I know would rather die than have me chipped." I said, shaking my head. 

"I am the same Lexa, only at peace now. I'm the same Lexa you know, the one that you love. Take the chip, hodnes." 

"Don't call me that." I whispered softly. 

"You love me, do this for me. Take the chip." She moved closer to me, leaning in so close that if she moved half an inch, we would be kissing. I closed my eyes tightly, tears slipping out as I felt her presence in every way. "Take the chip, Clarke." She whispered so quietly. Her lips brushed against mine in the worst way before moving back. 

"Remember that day? When you came to say goodbye to me for the blockade. Do you remember when you kissed me, how close we were? How desperate we were for each other, and how that changed everything? This could change everything too. We will owe nothing to our people now, we will be free to do what we please." Lexa told me. 

"Clarke," She continued. "Do this for me, or I will hurt myself. Don't let me hurt myself, I will die if I do." 

I shook my head before opening my eyes, seeing again how close she was to me. Everything about her began to consume me. The way that she smelled, the way that she looked, the way that she talked to me. It was everything about her that drew me in in the first place, and I love her with everything that I have. So when she lifted her hand up, holding the chip against my lips I didn't move. 

"Please Clarke, we can be together, truly together and nothing will tear us. Come on, hodnes." Lexa whispered so quietly. I opened my mouth slowly, allowing her to slide the chip in. The metallic taste rested on my tongue, and I felt it begin to disintegrate. 

"Clarke, no!" I blinked when I heard Bellamy yell, and immediately spit the chip out of my mouth. Bellamy was on his feet then, turning around and punching the guard by him. Everyone began to move at once and Lexa backed away from me. I watched as Octavia began to fight, taking down two guards before Pike could take down one. 

Bellamy ran over to me, a knife in his hand. He cut away the chains that let me free and I fell away from the pole. My knees hit the floor and I coughed as pain hit my stomach. I looked to my right and watched a guard take down Bellamy, the two wrestling on the floor. In my time of no concentration, I didn't pay any mind to Lexa until she moved next to me, kicking me in my stomach. 

I fell onto my back, coughing and choking on my own spit as she stood above me. "That was a bad idea, Clarke. You shouldn't have done that."

"I had no choice." I told her. 

"You always do. I had one when I chose you over the flame, and now you chose this over me." Lexa said, quickly kicking me in the side. My body jerked and I felt the pain vibrate throughout my body. I moved, trying my hardest to move away from her and stand. When I got to my feet, I knew that I was going to have to fight her. And it broke my heart.

"I didn't chose this Lexa, you did. You should have let them kill me..." I trailed off, taking a few steps back. I didn't want to fight her. 

She took a few steps closer to me, the anger in her eyes vibrant. Every part of my body and soul ached and I didn't know what to do. "All you have to do is take the chip. And then all of this will stop, we will be lovers again and we will live forever in the city of light." 

"I don't want that with you!" I yelled, "You're not the same Lexa, let her go ALIE. Please, give me her back."

I heard crackling and turned to my right, where a majority of our stuff was sitting. I recognized my gun and my back, and Bellamy's too. A radio was there, and someone was trying to talk to us. "Bellamy?" It was Raven. 

"Bellamy, Clarke, I found the kill switch." Raven said through the radio. I ran towards it, dodging Lexa's hand and grabbing the radio. 

I pressed the button, bringing the radio to my mouth. "Kill it Raven, kill it now!" I yelled. Hands roughly grabbed my shoulders and I was pulled back, my back hitting the ground. I yelled in pain as Lexa twirled around, moving to kneel above me. Her fingers wrapped around my throat and I grabbed her arms, trying to pull it. 

"Stop!" I tried to say. "Bellamy!" I screamed. 

"You should have taken the chip, Clarke. Now you will die for it." Lexa said, hardening her grip. I couldn't breathe properly and I could feel the pressure on my throat. My lungs began to crave the air and yet none got to it. 

Black circles filled my vision and I looked up at Lexa, my vision becoming slightly blurry as tears escaped my eyes. My body began to shake, craving the air it needed. It was then that I heard Raven say something over the radio. 

Everything in the room stilled, the fighting coming to an end as people began to wake up. I looked up at Lexa, watching as she began to blink. Confusion overtook her as I felt myself growing weak, and when she looked down at me, her eyes widened. "Oh my god..." She said, releasing my throat. 

I started coughing, blood spitting out as I did so. Lexa only stared down at me, her mouth agape. She then moved, climbing off of me and backing away slowly. "Clarke..."

I couldn't breathe right, and I knew that I was losing too much blood. I heard movement and soon Bellamy was kneeling above me. "Clarke, it's okay. Abby! Abby, Clarke needs you." Bellamy yelled. 

I was too weak to move, to  keep my eyes open. So I only let them shut, blackness taking over as I slipped out of consciousness. 

*******

**The gif is how I pictured Lexa looking after she woke up.**


	24. Protection

**Klarke:**

When my eyes opened, I saw a very familiar ceiling. My eyes felt heavy and I had to blink a few times before they could actually stand to be open. That was when I realized that I was lying in Lexa's chambers, her blanket tightly wrapped around my body to keep me warm. I swallowed, feeling how sore and dry my throat was. I coughed a few times, which caused a person to stir from the other side of the room. 

Too soon, Bellamy was standing above me. He sat down next to me, reaching out and touching my neck. I winced, feeling how bruises it was. "I thought you were going to die. Everyone did. Abby said you lost too much blood and the air loss didn't help." 

I coughed. "It takes a lot more than that to get me down." I attempted at a joke. 

He half smiled, shaking his head. "Listen princess, we got a big time problem. I can tell you now or we can talk later." Bellamy said. 

"Shit." I sighed. "Tell me later, I just woke up. Where's my mom?" I asked him. 

"She's trying to get Lexa to come visit you." Bellamy shrugged. "She's convinced that you're either going to die, or if you live, you're not going to want to see her." 

It was then that I remembered the events of yesterday, or whenever it was exactly. I didn't realize why my throat was so sore until then, which reminded me of when Lexa was trying to kill me. But she was chipped and I wasn't mad at her for that. It wasn't her fault, she was trying to save me. I could never be mad at her for that. 

I tried to move, but Bellamy held me down. "You really need to rest. We're heading back to Arkadia tomorrow and you need to rest until then."

"I wanna see her, to tell her that I'm not dead or mad at her." I told him as if it weren't obvious. 

"I'll get her, just rest, please?" He said, raising an eyebrow.

I sighed, lying back down. "Okay, fine. Go." I said. 

Bellamy left then, and I was left alone. I sighed again as I laid down, looking up at the ceiling. I almost laughed, remembering the last time that I was in here and the last time that I was looking up at the ceiling. I couldn't believe of all that has happened since then, in such a short amount of time. I was just thankful that the city of light seemed to come to an end, and it was time to finally put that behind us.

It was honestly insane, to think about it. I felt for the people who were now returning to a life that they wanted to escape, but this gave them the chance of getting better, getting happier. It gave them the chance to be human. 

The door to the room opened and I looked down at it, watching as Lexa walked in. She looked like she hasn't slept in a while and as if she was almost scared to come into the room. I moved to sit up, wincing at the pain in my stomach. I looked up at her, watching as she only stared at me. "You can come here, Lexa."

"Clarke..." She only said before moving to stand closer to me. I reached out, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her closer to me. She sat down and I moved to hug her, feeling immediately safe and at peace in her arms. This was the Lexa that I knew, that I trusted and that I loved. It wasn't the Lexa that I was with the last time, the one that tried to kill me. 

"Bellamy said that you were afraid to come see me." I questioned softly. 

"I am not afraid, Clarke. Being afraid is being weak." She denied. 

I moved back, looking at her. I knew that she would never admit to it. She never liked showing any weakness. But it was me, after all. "Hey, it's just me."

She only stared at me, blinking back tears before moving to hug me again. Her arms were wrapped around my waist very lightly and rested her head on my shoulder. I moved my head, kissing the top of hers and then leaning against it. "I am so sorry, Clarke. I did not mean to bring any harm to you. I don't even remember doing it really, I try not to."

"Lexa, you were chipped. There is nothing more to it. Come on, lie down with me." I moved, lying back. She followed me, lying back and moving so that her head was resting on my shoulder. She reached her arm across the top of my stomach, just below my chest, and held me so tightly. 

"I almost killed you."

"Shh," I leaned down, pressing my check against the top of my head. "I'm still alive, still breathing. Please, Lex, I'm okay. I'm not mad at you, or scared of you. Please, just lay here with me. I love you." I whispered the last part. 

She moved, looking down at me. "I love you, too."

 

 

*******

**How are you guys liking the story so far?**

 


	25. The Weeks That Followed

**Klarke:**

In the weeks that followed the defeat of ALIE and the City of Light, a feeling of peace grew over the land. The ambassadors slowly took over to the capitol, and it has become a partial run government until the next Commander is found. My people went back to Arkadia, and unfortunately, have found another problem. The Nuclear Reactor Plants were beginning to melt down and soon, we would all be dead. We had a lot less time than we originally thought, and now we were all fighting for our lives. 

We decided to rebuild the Ark, to get it ready. But when it went up in flames, we knew that we had to find another way. So we started searching, from all over the lands to try and somewhere safe to live in peace. To ride out the radiation for the next five years. But that was hard to do, especially when we realized that when it came down to it, we would have to share with the grounders. It was Lexa who brought that to my attention; it was true to her character to still be looking out for her people.

Unfortunately at that time, Azgada took control of the capitol. But at that point, we figured it was the least of the concerns. And besides, Roan was a friend... or at least, someone with similar interests. 

I tried to take the bunker for myself, I wanted to at least. But with Lexa here, reminding me that she belonged to the Ground, I couldn't do that to her, or to her people. If she weren't here, I could easily do it. I've done much worse, but she was here, and she reminded me why I was still here. The Grounders, no matter what they did, always showed me mercy- or were killed. I was still alive, still standing here because they didn't strike first. And now that I had the option to not only save my people, but to destroy their's, I couldn't. I couldn't do that to Lexa. 

So when the conclave ended and Octavia won, I was hopeful that my people would be able to relax. But Octavia, true to her character, wouldn't let that happen. She wouldn't let any of that happen, and now, more than half of my people will suffer the same fate as our ancestors did decades ago. But what Octavia didn't come to realize, is that whoever is in the bunker, will die. No one other than my people will know how to run any of the equipment that is meant to keep them alive. If anyone other than my people are in the bunker, the human race will die. 

That was when we knew that we needed to figure out another option. While Octavia was running the show in the bunker, and deciding who gets to be in there, I was trying to save everyone else. I knew that I wouldn't be on the list that gets to survive in the bunker, and I knew that Lexa wouldn't be on it either. I had to act fast to save myself and her, and to save everyone else that wasn't on the list. Praimfaya was coming, and I had to act fast.

 


	26. The Countdown

**Klarke:**

My steps echoed as I walked down the bright hallway. I looked around, taking in the sight around me as I was led into Becca's lab. My eyes widened as I looked around the lab, taking everything in. There was so much technology, so much research here. It was amazing to think of everything that could be held in this room. I looked at Lexa, who was staring at the room in wonder. I knew that she was confused, she didn't know half of the technology that I had known when I was just two years old. There was so much of it here for her to learn, I just hope that she had time to. 

"Clarke." I looked down the stairs when I heard my name, and smiled when I saw that it came from my mother. I haven't seen her since the fall of ALIE, as she came here to do the research that needed to be done. She came to see if there was any other way to survive the death wave, aside from the Bunker. I walked down the stairs quickly, going to give my mother a hug. 

"How was the conclave?" She asked me. 

"Octavia won, but we are sharing the bunker. One hundred spots each." I told her. 

She closed her eyes, sighing. "This is like the Ark..." She trailed off. 

"It started with one hundred, and it will end with one hundred." I told her, turning to look around. I noticed vials of blood sitting at the table. I walked towards it, looking at the blood that was sitting at the table. "What is this? Nightblood?" I asked, picking one of them up. 

"Yes." My mother told me, looking down at it. "Well, kind of. It's Luna's blood marrow. I think that we can do something with it. Do you remember how she survived radiation? Well, maybe her blood was the key after all. I have a theory." She said, looking into a microscope. I turned to look at Lexa, but she was disappeared. I looked around, panicking a little until I saw her, looking at medical equipment from across the room. 

"What's your theory?" I asked, turning back to my mother. 

"Blood marrow. Mount Weather. If we inject ourselves with her bone marrow, than we may be able to survive the death wave. But we would have to have a test subject. And that means's exposing someone to radiation, enough to kill them." 

I sighed, running a hand through my rough hair. I knew that it was something that we needed to do. I just didn't like the idea of it. 

*******

An hour later, I found myself walking into what seemed as if it were a house- something out of stories and movies I watched on the Ark. I was following Emori, who was showing Lexa and I to it. We needed to eat and rest before we could decide what to do, and I needed to speak to Lexa about what my mother had told me. But I needed to give it some time, I needed to think about it myself. Then I would talk to her. 

We made our way into one of the bedrooms, and I paused when I looked around. It was the first time in my life that I've ever seen a bedroom like this- an actual bedroom. It was beautiful. It was just like in the movies I watched as a little girl, it was amazing. Everything about this house was amazing, and so, so white. It was so clean, too. It was perfect, untouched. 

I walked over towards the bed, reaching down and touching the white fur blanket. But it wasn't like a pelt that I had been used to, it was something different. When I touched it, I left dirt on it. It was then that I realized how dirty I was. I couldn't remember the last time that I took a bath, it was probably that time in the river with Lexa, months ago. It seemed like forever ago. When I looked up, I saw a mirror in the room and when I walked over to it, I couldn't believe my sight. I didn't want to, if I was being honest. I looked awful. 

Lexa walked over to me, grabbing onto my waist and hugging me from behind. I sighed as I leaned my head back, allowing myself one second of comfort before I looked for a bathroom. I'm sure there were plenty in this house. 

I was right, before soon, I was turning the water on to a shower. I haven't had on since I was on the Ark, and I was excited about it. 

"Is this what you called a shower?" I turned around, looking at Lexa. She was standing in the doorway, looking at me. I nodded and smiled, pulling the curtain back so she could see the inside. Fog soon grew from the hot water and I couldn't help but laugh a little. 

"I haven't had a hot bath or shower in so long." I said to myself, putting my hand under the water. I could only imagine how amazing it will feel when I'm actually in the water. I moved to kick off my shoes, and then my jacket. When I looked at Lexa, she was still standing there. "Aren't you going to join me?" I asked her, confused. 

"I suppose, are you insisting that I smell?" She asked, but I could tell she was joking. 

I half laughed as I reached down, unbuttoning my pants and letting the fall to the floor. "You do, actually. I honestly can't take it any longer. You need to shower."

She laughed and moved into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. I smiled as I finished undressing, moving quickly into the shower. My eyes closed instantly as the warm water hit my skin, and I couldn't help the subtle moan that escaped my lips. It was burning hot and I wouldn't have it any other way, it honestly felt amazing. I stood under the water, letting it hit my face and run down my neck. 

"Better hurry up, who knows how long the hot water will last." I told her, spitting water out of my mouth as I did so. 

"I have a lot of war wear to rid, Clarke." I heard her say. I laughed and stepped back, rubbing the water out of my eyes. I saw that there was a bottle of soap sitting on one of the ledges, and I recognized it as the same soap that the people of Arkadia have been using. It doesn't smell that much, but soap is soap. 

The glass door opened and soon Lexa stepped into the shower. I smiled, watching as the beautiful warrior sheepishly stood in front of me. "You'are staring, Clarke." She said before looking up at the water, watching as it rained down on us. 

"You would know, wouldn't you?" I told her, reaching out and pulling her by the waist into the water. "Now come on, you need to get clean."

*******

My eyes opened suddenly, and I stared up into the ceiling of the bedroom. Lexa was sleeping next to me, and when I turned to look at her, she as fast asleep. I left the bed, leaving the softly snoring woman along to catch up on some sleep. I was rested, and I needed to get back to my mother. We needed to work on this experiment and I knew that we needed to get busy. We only had a few days. 

When I made it back to the lab, I smiled when I saw that nearly everyone I truly cared for was there- standing around the lab. My mother stood there with Bellamy, Raven, Monty, Harper, even Murphy and his girlfriend. I walked down the few steps, and that was when they noticed me walking towards them. 

"Clarke!" Monty smiled, always so cheerful. 

"Princess, just in time. We're going to head back to the bunker now, we don't have much time. Your mom and Jackson are going to head out, we're leaving tonight." Bellamy said to me. "Where's Lexa?" He asked me.

"She's still sleeping, she needs it. I'll wake her before we go. Mom," I turned to her. "What about the nightblood?" I walked over to her, watching as she flipped through a few pages of notes. 

"It's too risky. We don't have a test subject and I'm not testing on one of us. Bellamy won't let us test on Emori." It was then that I noticed how far away Murphy and Emori actually were, and it made sense. 

I grabbed onto the syringe, looking at Luna's blood marrow. "How did you even get this?" I asked her.

"A long story." Raven said, "But we don't have time for that. Abby, Jackson, you guys got to go." Raven said. 

Everyone began to move at once, my mother and Jackson saying their goodbyes to us and leaving. I felt bad that I wasn't leaving with my mother, but I knew that my place was here with my friends. Besides, we still had work to do. 

*******

"Clarke, we need to talk." I looked up from my sketchpad, dusting away the specks of charcoal that covered the page.  Bellamy was standing by the door, his gun in his hand, and his eyes on me. I glanced over to Lexa, who was leaning against the other side of the couch, her feet resting against mine, tucked away underneath me. She met my eye and I could tell that she was asking if I would be okay. She still didn't fully trust him, and was of course, protective over me. 

"I'm coming." I told him, nodding my head towards her to reassure her. I moved from the couch, setting my sketchpad down and walking out of the room. We walked together, towards the lab where Raven and Murphy were working on the bottom level. I leaned against the railing, looking up at Bellamy and watched as he struggled to say something. 

"Clarke, I just got a radio from Kane. Praimfaya is here."

"What?" I asked, standing up. 

"It came earlier than expected. Kane said your mother was safe under the bunker, and praimfaya is about to hit Polish."

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier? When did she radio?" I yelled, pushing past him and walking down the stairs. 

"Clarke..." He yelled after me, following. I ran over to Raven, grabbing her shoulder and turning her around. 

"How long have you guys known?" I asked her. 

She looked down. "Since yesterday."

"Why didn't any of you fucking tell me?" I yelled, looking around the room. I felt a hand on my arm and when I turned, it was Lexa. She looked as confused as I was. 

"Because there isn't a way out of this. We aren't on the list that Octavia had." Murphy said. "None of us were, she hated us all. And besides, we know what we have to do."

I looked around them, watching in silence as Raven pressed a red button on a panel full of many. The huge doors in front of us opened, revealing a ship. My eyes widened as I took a few steps forwards, looking at the machine. "What is this?" I whispered. 

"This is our escape. Our only way of it." Raven said. "I've programmed the ship, we aren't going to die. We're going home." Raven said. 

"To the ark?" I asked, looking at the raven haired girl. 

"To the ark."

A sudden noise came from behind us, and we all turned towards one of the screens that was hooked up to our drones. I watched in horror as Polis was taken over, flames engulfing the entire city. A second later, it went dark and I knew the drone was fried. I looked over at Lexa, knowing how much what she just saw affected her. That was her city, that was her home. I grabbed her hand, squeezing tightly before letting go. 

"It's two hundred and ten miles from Polis to the island, that's ninety minutes. We have to launch twenty minutes before..." Raven went off, speaking quickly and out loud as we all tried to follow what she was saying. Bellamy caught my eye and gave me a look, and I knew what he was thinking. 

We were fucked.  


	27. 90 Minutes

****

**Klarke:**

Murphy and Monty left, going to fetch the oxygenator, while we all stayed back to work on the ship. I wasn't much help, I didn't know much about mechanics as Raven did, or even everyone else that has been here with her helping. So instead, I stayed back with Lexa, packing as much food as we possibly could. It was a challenging process, being that we had to get enough food for two months until we were able to produce our own crops. 

We didn't have enough of it. We had to do severe rationing. If we weren't careful, we would starve before the two months were up. I wouldn't let that happen though. So while Lexa packed all the food into bags, I sat with Bellamy, working on the computers.

"What if something happens to us?" I asked him, quietly. 

"It won't." Bellamy denied. 

"You can't know that." I told him. I had a bad feeling about this, I really did. I didn't know why or where it was coming from, but I had a really bad feeling about this. 

Raven began yelling and the both of us looked up as she came running up the stairs. "Clarke, Bellamy. Come on, I need you!" She yelled. We both moved quickly, running away from the computers and towards her. 

"What happened?" Bellamy asked, taking the stairs two at a time to get to the bottom. 

"Helmets on. I need you two to go to the tower. We lost communications from the ship, but I can restore it. I need you two to go to the tower, come on, hurry up." Raven yelled. 

We followed her, dressing quickly in suits. Once I was zipped up, I saw Lexa running towards me. She reached out, pressing her hands against my helmet and shaking her head. "No, no. What is going on, Clarke? You cannot go out there." 

"Hey, hey. It'll be okay, I promise." I told her. I took off my helmet, setting it on the floor before looking up at her. "We have to do this, this is the only way. We all have jobs to do, this is mine and food rationing is yours." I told her. 

"No, anything could happen out there. You can't go, you can't..."

"I know it's scary, I'm scared too. But I have a radio and I'll talk to you the whole time, okay?" I tried my best to reassure her. She looked scared, and I was too. I knew that there was a big chance that something could happen, and I might not be able to make it back in time. But I needed to do this, I needed to make sure that she lived. 

I leaned in, kissing her quickly as Raven began to yell. "I'll be back soon, okay? Save me a seat in the ship." I told her, putting the helmet back on. I knew she was upset, she was still shaking her head and protesting it.

Raven pulled my arm, pulling me away from Lexa and I shouted that I would be back soon, before she disappeared from my view.

It was dark as we ran up the stairs, but then suddenly light overtook me. We were outside before I even realized it, and I couldn't help but notice how red the sky had turned. The radiation was so poisoning. 

Raven began going through the motions, telling us once against what to do. I followed every word, nodding my head and repeating what was most important. The tower was less than a mile away, and Bellamy and I had twenty minutes to get there and get back. While we were discussing it, someone in a suit ran from the woods and we all turned to look at him. 

"Murphy..." Bellamy said, running towards him. "Where's Monty?" He asked. I followed him, recognizing Murphy as he nearly fell to the ground, breathing so heavily that I could hear him through the suit.

"He fainted. He had to take off his gloves to get to this thing, he passed out. But if we go now, we can get him." Murphy said, completely out of breath. 

"Clarke, you get the tower. Bellamy, you go get Murphy." Raven yelled, "Let's go, we don't have much time!"

We took off then, all running in different directions. I was running through the snow, as fast as I could. It was hard to do, the suit was heavy and I had a lot of objects to dodge that were in my way. I couldn't remember running this fast at all in my life, and I was running out breath fast. 

When I finally arrived at the tower, I couldn't help but feel nervous. I found the outlet quickly, doing my best to attach the wires to the proper position, all while whispering what Raven had told me. But when it started flashing red, I started to panic. 

"What did I do wrong?" I yelled, slamming my hands on the poles. 

I heard crackling from the radio, and I soon heard Raven's voice come through on the radio. It was fuzzy, and she said something that I couldn't understand. I paid no mind to it, looking up at the tower. My eyes widened when I realized what I had to do. 

I had to climb the tower, and manually override it. I didn't have enough time. 

"Raven, Bellamy." I said into the radio. 

"C-Clarke?" I heard Raven say something and then I recognized Lexa's voice in the background. My heart broke and tears stung my eyes as I realized what I was about to do, what I needed to do. 

"Raven... don't wait." I said. 

"Wait, Clarke, what happened?" Raven said through the radio, all while I heard Lexa yelling in the background. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a second, picturing her face and allowing myself one second of goodbye. 

Then I dropped the radio, and started to climb.

*******

I groaned as I reached the top of the tower, my hands sore from the rusted poles that I had been using to climb. When I reached the top, I looked around for a second. My eyes widened as I saw it, I saw Praimfaya in the distance. I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned towards the mechanics, opening the box and looking at all the wires. It looked the same as the one on the ground, but with subtle differences. 

I moved quickly, plugging in wires to where I thought they belonged. I felt sick, like I was going to either throw up or faint. But I pushed on, pulling the lever and watching as it blinked green. It was then that there was a loud noise, and when I looked up, I saw the rocket. My eyes burned with tears as I saw my last chance of survival fly away, with everyone I love in it. My heart ached but I moved quickly, climbing down the tower as fast I could. I saw Praimfaya getting closer, and I let go of the ladder, letting myself fall the last twenty feet or so. 

I hit the ground with a thud, but the snow protected me. I stood up quickly, feeling dizzy but I didn't stop. I ran quickly, towards the lab. I could feel my skin begin to heat up, my throat starting to close. Praimfaya was here and I was caught in the middle of it. I screamed as I felt my skin begin to blister, and my eyes began to dry out. 

I stumbled as I reached the lab, running down the stairs as my skin felt as if it were on fire. It was hard to breathe, and I couldn't see straight. I fell down the last few steps, colliding with one of the tables and knocking things down. I felt myself dying, but I couldn't give up just yet. I moved quickly, feeling pain with every move I took. I threw off my helmet, screaming as the full burn of radiation hit my skin. 

I knew I only had seconds before I died, but I had one last idea, one last attempt. I grabbed the syringe full of Luna's bone marrow, falling as my knees went week and my lungs started to close. Each movement felt like death, so when I stabbed myself in the neck with the syringe, pushing the bone narrow out of it and into me, I didn't feel a thing. Instead, everything went numb and I was left without pain. 

I took my last breath as I dropped the syringe, before my lungs collapsed and everything went dark.  


	28. Among the Stars

**Leksa:**

"No, stop!" I yelled, pulling my arm away from Bellamy's hold. "You can't do this, you are not allowed to do this." I cried. Tears were running down my cheeks but I didn't care. I didn't care to show any weakness. I only had one thought, the one thing I cared for. 

"Lexa, we have to go. We have thirty seconds, she's not coming!" Bellamy yelled, wrapping his arm around my slim waist as he pulled. I tried my hardest to fight it but I couldn't. I had no strength. Instead, I allowed Bellamy to pull me into the rocket ship, while crying in agony over what I just lost. The love of my life, the light of my life, and everything I held close to my heart. 

I didn't pay attention to anything until I started running out of air. Until I was drifting among the stars, in a piece of metal that was meant to be shared with Clarke. The empty seat next to me shot pain through my heart, and even when I started to lift out of my seat, I didn't feel anything at all. 

I knew that I was going to die. I was going to die, and I accepted it. My time had come, and I would soon pass on to be with the rest of my Commanders. I knew that Clarke would be there. She may not have had the spirit, but she was a Commander through and through. She would be there, and we would meet again.


	29. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These following few chapters will be short just so you all know

e.arth pr.t II

 

 

_1 year after praimfaya_

_1 year after Clarke Kom Skaikru was reborn_


	30. M.adi

**c.larke**

"It's been a year, Bel. I miss you. I can't believe that it's been a year since the end. I wish I could talk to you, I wish I could talk to Raven, hell, I wish I could even talk to Murphy. I miss you guys. I keep thinking about that night, that one unity day party- our first on the ground. Do you remember that? Well, I do. I remember wanting to get so drunk... ha, as if. That seems like so long ago. 

I'm not sure if I should keep doing this. I'm starting to think I'm going to go insane if I don't do this, though. I'm all alone here. I've been eating nothing but grass mostly, you'd be surprised how the color of grass will affect you. Well, anyway. I saw the first sign of life, besides myself of course. It was a bird. I saw it flying... it gave me hope, Bel, I'm not going to lie."

I laughed, shaking my head. "It was a small bird, but it was clear in the sky. I remember the way it sounded... it was a few days ago. I was eating out on the cliff, the one I go to all the time. Anyway, it scared the shit out of me. But I saw it, it was so beautiful. Anyway, I better get going. I have to find something to eat, something that won't make my shit green. I'll talk to you tomorrow, and uh... tell her I love her." 

I tossed the radio onto my pack that was sitting next to me and took a deep breath. It was hard, it hurt to think about her. With my friends, I could accept that they didn't make it. It was hard to get passed it, but I could accept it. But with her... I couldn't bare it. So I didn't think  about it, I blocked it from my thoughts and my heart and pretended that it wasn't there. It didn't help. But I had to try, and try I must. 

So I stood up, grabbing my pack and sliding it on my shoulders, heading away from the cliff and into the forest. I really did need to see if there was any other sort of life, something that would be able to feed me. I needed to eat, and to actually eat. I couldn't take this vegetarian life style any longer. 

When I reached the dead forest, I pulled the hood of my jacket up as I could already feel the rain drops hitting my head. I was going to head back to the homestead that I've made myself, an old building of some sort. I wasn't entirely sure where I was, being that I couldn't find any remains of the Arkadia or even the drop ship. I found what was left of TonDC but it wasn't much. So I moved a lot, and now I'm closer to where the ocean is. There must have been a village there, and that's where I found my new home. 

It must have been about an hour or so that I spent hunting, my boots were beginning to grow damp and I had nothing to show for it. So I went home, my bag empty and my stomach the same. But when I arrived at building, I noticed that the door was kicked it. I grabbed my gun, walking hesitantly towards my home. I moved quickly, leaning my back against the outside wall as I moved towards the door, peaking my head around it. 

My eyes widened as I saw a little girl moving around my room, reaching into my supply of food. I moved then, walking into my home and reaching out, spinning her around. She screamed, moving away from me so quickly and hitting the wall on the other side of the room. I couldn't believe that there was another person here, another one alive. 

"Who are you?" I asked her, lowering my gun. 

She only stared at me, shaking with fear. She seemed young, so young. She had to be about six, maybe seven at the oldest. She was tiny, huddled in fear. She had dark hair and light eyes, and something about it made my heart ached- I chose not to think about why.  I took a step closer, kneeling down. "I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Clarke, I survived Praimfaya too, I thought I was the only one."

"M-Madi." She said, "I'm Madi."

"How old are you, Madi?" I asked her. 

"I'm seven years old."

"Are you hungry, Madi?" I asked her. She nodded slowly and I moved, slowly, so I didn't scare her. I went into the drawers that I had, pulling out rations that had been packed away so perfectly. I handed two to the young girl, watching as her big round eyes looked up at me. "Go on, take it."

She smiled at me, "Thanks, Clarke."

 


	31. k.larke

****

**L.eksa**

_two days after Praimfaya_

"Lexa, you need to eat."

"Seriously, you're going to kill yourself if you keep doing this. We barely have enough food as it is, eat or we will give it to someone else."

I didn't move. I didn't respond. I was broken. I didn't care if I died. I just cared about her. After everything that we've been through, how could I have just let her go like that? I knew that I shouldn't have, I knew that I should have told Raven to find someone else to do it. She should have had Bellamy do it, we needed her here more than we needed him. I needed her, I needed her more than the air I breathed or the food I ate. I needed her and she was gone.

I thought back to every moment I had with her. Every single second we shared, together or not. After I left her at Mount Weather, I still thought about her every single day. I loved her, even then. I fell in love with her the day I met her, I didn't know it then, but now I do. But now it was too late.

I wasn't sure how long I laid in my cot, wrapped up in a thin blanket and clothes that didn't belong to me. I laid there for hours, not noticing time pass. It must have been a few days now, since we climbed into the ark and survived yet another day.

When the door to the room opened and Bellamy walked in, I hardly paid attention to him. I figured that he was going to add my daily ration to the untouched pile, but he didn't. He only came to the cot and knelt down, looking at me. He sighed and shook his head.

"Lexa... you can't do this. Clarke wouldn't want you to do this. She wanted us to come here, and to live. Please, if you don't want to do this for yourself, then do this for her. She died in order to save us, and we can't let her die in vain. Please, eat." Bellamy said to me. I ignored him.

"Alright," Bellamy sighed, standing up. He walked towards the door but turned around before he walked out. "I was hoping you would eat something, I wanted to show you something."

"What did you want to show me?" I asked, my voice quiet.

"Clarke's holding cell. I thought you'd like to see where she spent a year of her life in isolation." Bellamy said.

I moved from the bed, sitting up and looking at him. "Her cell? Because she wanted to tell people that this thing was dying?" I asked him.

Bellamy nodded. "I can show you everything, if you want. I can show you the life that Clarke had here, before she went down to Earth. I can show you the Clarke that was innocent, that didn't know any better."

I thought about a young Clarke. With a round face and bright blue eyes running around these metallic halls. I pictured her walking with her friends, with Wells. I moved slowly from the bed, stepping onto the cold floor with my bare feet. Bellamy had a hint of a smile on his face when I walked up to him.

"Alright Sleeping Beauty, follow me. I'll show you, but you have to eat after, okay?" He said. I nodded my head once, knowing that I would eat something as long as I saw what I wanted to see.

We walked in silence down the dimly lit hallways. I followed Bellamy, my bare feet silent as I did so. Bellamy was loud, everything about him was. His heavy foot steps, his loud boots, even his breathing. He was a loud person, I questioned on how he survived on the ground. If I were an animal, I would have been able to take him down easy.

"What is a sleeping beauty?" I asked after a few silent minutes, "Is it a play on words?"

"It's an old fairy tale. Basically, a princess was put to sleep for hundreds of years, and only true love's kiss could wake her up. We call people sleeping beauty when they sleep a lot. It's a play on words." Bellamy explained to me, looking at me every few seconds.

"Are there a lot of fairy tales?" I asked him. He nodded. "Do you guys have them here, on this ark?"

He nodded again. "Yeah, probably. I'd have to look, but maybe. Come on, it's just ahead." Bellamy said. He pushed open a very big door, and I followed him through the passage. My eyes widened when I looked around, thousands of cages were all lined up. It was an impressive imprisonment and I wished that I knew about this when I was first Commander. It would have been handy.

I followed him up a set of stairs and down a long hallway. We finally arrived at a door with a small window in it. I looked at it, suddenly feeling nervous at the thought of walking in there. I looked at Bellamy, who only stared back at me.

"Clarke spent every single day here, she was locked up in this room for so long with nothing to do. I haven't seen it myself, I don't want to. I can't imagine what it must be like. But this room is a huge part to who she is. And after that, I can show you the school she went to. I can show you the cafeteria that she ate in every day before her imprisonment. I'll be downstairs, take your time, okay?" I nodded, not replying to Bellamy but watching as he walked away, disappearing from where we came from.

I turned to the door, slowly and unsteadily pushing it open. I took a deep breathe as I walked in, closing the door shut behind me. My eyes grew wide as I looked around the room, taking everything in.

There was a small bed in the corner, and that was the only thing in the room. However, there were countless drawings on the walls. All across them and on the floor. There were things that I recognized from my home, from Earth- as she called it. From the ground. Drawings of animals, some even I didn't recognize. One single drawing caught my eye, one of the ground that was drawn on the ground. I knelt down, running my fingers along the drawing.

I heard her voice in my head, her whispering I love you in our most private moments. I felt her touch, running through my hair or holding my hand. My eyes burned as tears began to fall from my eyes, and I felt as if my heart was breaking again.

I fell over, my body hitting the floor as I cried, screaming in agony over the pain I felt in my heart. I felt as if it was actually tearing apart, tearing to shreds and the only person that could help, would never be with me again.

*******

I stared out the huge glass window- as Bellamy has told me, staring at the Earth, engulfed in red flames. He was standing by my side, watching me. I knew that he was worried about me, why, I don't know. But I knew he was, probably because he feels like he owes it to Clarke to protect me. I don't need his protection.

Looking at the red ground, I couldn't imagine anything surviving in that. I knew that Clarke didn't, I knew that my people didn't, and I'm sure that the life that walked the ground didn't either. It was a wasteland.

"I loved her." I said, looking at the circling red. "I loved her, and I couldn't save her."

"Me too, me too."

I looked over at him, watching the way that he stared out the window. He looked so sad, so broken, I wondered if I looked the same way. I knew that he cared for her, even if he never showed it. I could always tell, from the second we met up with them in the cave after the robbing of my spirit. I knew that he loved Clarke in the same way that I loved her, the only difference was, she loved me. She chose me, countless times. She always chose me over everything, and even in her final moments, she still chose me. She didn't want me to come with her to fix the tower, she wanted Bellamy. She knew that she might not make it back in time, and she didn't want that to be my fate. I know it in my heart, even in her final moments, she chose me.

"She was special." Bellamy said quietly. "I wish you could have known her when we first got here. I wish things went so differently. Looking back at all, the war we had with the grounders at the drop ship, the Mountain. Everything feels so far away now, like it never happened. It all lead to this, either way."

When I didn't reply, he only continued to speak. "I hated her when we first got her. She was one of the privileged. Both parents on the council of some sort, she lived the high life. I lived in fear every day, that my sister would be caught and we would all be floated. It was illegal to have more than one child, and I was the first born. But either way, I hated her. She was so controlling, she tried to control everything we did. I said, whatever the hell we want. I was just trying to protect myself, in all honesty. Myself and my sister. But she... she was different. She was special."

"She is special." I told him. "She lives now in our memories, her death not in vain. You are right, Bellamy of the Sky People. Her death is not the end for her, her spirit lives on inside of me, inside of you, and inside of us all. She continues to be special, she always will be."

"Sky People, huh?" Bellamy said, laughing a bit. "Who would have thought you'd be here, in this sky box. Lexa of the Sky People, has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"I do not think. My home will always be the ground, Bellamy. This is just a stop in my journey." I told him, looking away from the man and back at the red Earth. "Are there other places like this? Like Earth?"

"There's other planet's sure, but we haven't found a place like Earth just yet. There's planets named Mars, and Venus, and Mercury." He told me. I nodded my head, imagining what those planets might look like.

"Are people on it?" I asked him.

He sighed, shaking his head. "No one knows."

"Well, we didn't think you people existed up here, and you didn't think we were on the ground. Perhaps there are people out there, you never know. My view on life has changed since the day I met Clarke, since the day I heard of the light haired girl that fell from the sky." I told him, thinking back to the day that I first met her.

"My life changed when I met her too." Bellamy agreed, nodding his head.

I didn't reply to his comment, I only stared at the fire planet that was in front of me, watching the way the red circles filled the space. I sighed, pressing my hand against the glass. My heart still ached with each beat it took, and I knew that I would never be the same. But perhaps Bellamy is right, I shouldn't let Clarke die in vain. I knew it would be hard, and I knew that I would think about her every day. But she died so that I could survive, and I knew that my survival meant everything to her. And for her, I would survive. I would live here for the five years, and I will go home to where I belong, all for her. 

 


	32. s.hip

 

****

 

**k.larke**

_three years after praimfaya_

"Clarke!" 

I jumped up, my tired eyes immediately looking around the empty room. I moved from the bed quickly as I heard my name being yelled again and I ran towards our broken door, pushing it with my body as I ran, stumbling over a bag that was left in front of the door. My knees hit the ground and soon my face, colliding with dirt. I coughed, spitting out dirt as I heard laughter from above me. I groaned, turning around and lying on my back as I looked up at the blue sky.

"Are you okay, Clarkie?" Madi asked, her face coming into my view. I glared at her, shaking my head. 

"Why were you yelling for me? I thought something happened to you. That was not funny." I told her as I moved to sit up. I looked at what had tripped me, grabbing the blue bag and looking up at her. "Where did you find this?"

"I found it in a ship!" Madi yelled. I squinted my eyes at her as I moved to stand up. 

"Take me to it. Now." I told her, growing nervous. Could it be Bellamy and Raven? It's only been three years, if they were alive, they surely wouldn't be able to come down now. It wouldn't be safe for them. But what if something happened on the ark and they needed to come down now? 

"Okay..." Madi trailed off, rolling her eyes before taking off. I sighed at the child, tired of her antics. It was the morning, I should at least be able to eat something before I had to control this young child. 

But I quickly followed her, interested in knowing what ship she was talking about. It wasn't a long walk, if I was being honest. Especially because Madi was running the entire time. She thought it was hysterical that she could run faster than I could, and she was trying to beat me in everything that she could. She was a child, after all. 

We finally managed to make it into a small clearing in the s dead woods, and I couldn't help but feel disappointed when I saw what the ship was. It wasn't a ship, it was a rover. One of our old cars. I sighed as I walked over to it, trying to figure out why I was so disappointed over what this ship actually was. 

"Isn't it cool?" Madi said, emphasizing the word that I taught her. She calls everything cool. 

"This isn't a ship, Madi. This is a car." I told her, dropping the bag as I walked over to the driver's side of it. I pulled the door open, looking inside. It seemed almost untouched, and I wondered if it still worked. It's been soaking up energy from the sun for the past few years, I'm sure the battery is fully charged. 

"You know everything." Madi said, pushing past me and climbing into the car. I rolled my eyes at the nine year old. "You must be so old." 

"Alright, that's enough." I told her, slightly pushing her so she moved into the next seat. I climbed in, closing the door and looking at the car. I haven't been in one in so long, I almost didn't remember how to turn it on. Almost. 

When I roared to life, I couldn't help but laugh. I threw my head back and looked at the roof of the car, closing my eyes and thanking the Heaven's above. It was about time we had a stroke of good luck, and in this barren wasteland, this could be it. When I opened my eyes, I looked over at Madi. She was looking up at me with wide eyes and a smile on her face. 

"Are you ready to fly, Madi?" I asked her. 

"Hit it."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you guys know, this story is going to be coming to an end soon. We only have like 5(?) more chapters left.   
> I am not sure if there is going to be a second book. 
> 
> Thanks !!


	33. c.inderella

**l.eksa**

_three years after Praimfaya_

Music was blasting from one of the amps that Monty had finally got hooked up the Ark's station. It was so loud that I could feel the floorboards shaking as each beat played. I had jumped at the sound of it, it startling me in the quietness that had been my home for the past three years. I looked up from the book that I was reading, my hair falling into place as my head leveled. 

I looked around the cell, my eyes skipping over the drawings that I've stared at for three years, wondering where the sound was coming from. I've seen speakers all over the ark, but I couldn't see any in here. I questioned on where the hidden speaker was. I sighed, knowing that I wouldn't be able to finish the story today. I've read it countless times before, it was the story of Cinderella. I loved the story, it reminded me of Clarke. Not the story itself, but the blonde haired beauty that captured the heart of the prince. 

When I closed the book, I was quick to leave my bedroom. I've spent the last three years living in the cell that Clarke once did, in hopes of still feeling connected to her. And I was connected to her, in every way. It was the only way I could. 

I left the prison, walking towards the cafeteria. That was the area that I could always count on finding someone, Murphy especially. He loved to cook and after we finally are able to grow a lot of our own crops, he seems to spend every day in there. 

I was right, Murphy was in there. But he wasn't cooking. I groaned, closing my eyes and backing out of the room as I fought the images of what I just witnessed from entering my head. Sex with the opposite gender was something that was very distasteful to me, for obvious reasons. 

"Isn't that disgusting? I'm surprised she hasn't had a baby yet." I turned around, looking at a smirking Raven. 

"Where is the music coming from?" I asked her. 

"In the computers room, Monty is really excited about showing everyone his taste in music. I'm on my way to tell him to shut it off, I'm running tests to simulate our launch sequence to the ground." Raven said, starting to walk away. 

I followed her, shoving my hands in the pockets of the jacket that I was wearing. A couple years ago, I was exploring the prison when I found lockers of the prisoner's things. Monty, Muprhy, and Harper were ecstatic to get some of their stuff back. I was happy because I found all of Clarke's things. So many clothes that she had there, her art stuff. Even an old necklace that I now wore around my neck every day. It was a locket, a heart shaped on that had her initials on it and what Bellamy has told me, the day that she was born.

I know that I should move past it, I should move past her and focus on what's ahead, but it was hard to do when I was still so in love with her. I knew that Bellamy was having trouble too, that was why I let him have a shirt, even though I did not want to. But now with his growing relationship with Echo, I knew that perhaps he was moving on. Maybe I should too. 

"Come on Lexandria, hurry up." Raven yelled. I rolled my eyes at the name she has taken to calling me.

"Stop calling me that." I told her, only making her laugh. 

"You have no powers here, Commander. Let's go."  


	34. X.XII

**k.larke**

_five years after Praimfaya_

It's been five years since Praimfaya. I have passed my twenty third birthday and Madi's eleventh. 

Lexa would have been twenty seven. But I didn't think about that.

Bellamy turned twenty five, Raven twenty four, and Octavia twenty two. It would have been a good year for all of us- if we were together.

Life has taken over a good portion of Earth again. The forests have come alive, and now Madi and I have to be very careful, we've been attacked by animals several different times. I had a scar above my eye from an attack by what would have been known as a panther, but now, I wasn't too sure what exactly it was. 

There was green everywhere, and in some places, nowhere. Madi and I traveled all over, from once coast to another to find any sort of human life. We didn't find any. We knew that there had to be other nightbloods out there, but we couldn't find anything or anything. 

So we finally managed to settle our adventure after we attempted to dig out the survivors in the bunker. But it was too damaged, and we knew that we would never get to it. It was a devastating blow, but I knew that within time, they'll be able to figure how to get out- at least, I hoped they did. 

We lived in the rover now, it was packed full of our things and we moved from time to time, but settled near the edge of the cliff. And this is where we stayed. This was our home. And together, we made a family. One that rose from the ashes, and conquered the world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I just want to say thank you for everything, all the reads and comments and everything. I'm really glad that you are enjoying the story. 
> 
> I do have a small announcement. I am in the midst of writing a new book that I am really into and although it's not a Clexa fanfic, I think I'm going to post it on here. What do you guys think?


	35. r.aven

**l.eksa**

_six years after Praimfaya_

I sighed as I sat up, rubbing my tired eyes and swinging my feet off the bed. I took a deep breath and moved from the warm mattress, quickly going to grab my clothes that were scattered on the floor. I heard movement from behind me but I paid no mind to it and I continued to get dressed. 

"Who knew the great Commander would be so good in bed." I rolled my eyes, shaking my head as I slipped into the pants that I was wearing before. I turned around after I slipped on the tank top that I stole from Harper a few months ago, and then one of Bellamy's old jackets from before. 

Raven laughed as she climbed from the bed, moving across the room. I looked away from her naked body, suddenly feeling ashamed of myself for a reason unknown to me. I felt as if I was betraying her, as if I was cheating her. But she was dead, and has been for six years. It was time for me to move on, and I had a limited number of people up here. And despite the fact that Bellamy had made his attraction to me clear a year ago, I did not intend on doing anything that involved him. 

"Oh come on, Lex," The name stung. "It's just sex. I've slept with Bellamy before, and now you, and it won't change a thing. Besides, guys are more my department than anything."

"You're so annoying." I told her before leaving, closing the door behind me. I heard her laughing loudly, but I only ignored it. I couldn't wait to get back down to the ground.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we only have about 5 more chapters left!!


	36. d.anger

 

**c.larke**

_six years and seven days after Praimfaya_

Water droplets hit my skin, and I opened my eyes. The sun was shining bright today, the sky almost empty of clouds. A hint of a smile graced my face as I looked up at the sky, taking in the beauty of the Earth. The new one, untouched by humans in every way. A newly born Earth, all for Madi and I to discover. It was beautiful. 

I moved from the cover, climbing down and grabbing the radio that I managed to scavenge and put back together. Thank God for all the lessons Raven used to give me in mechanics back at the drop ship. I wasn't sure if the thing even worked, I hoped it did. I haven't had an answer from anyone, but I hoped. And as long as I still had hope, you never know what might happen.

Walking towards the edge of the cliff, I took a seat on the log that has been here for as long as we have. I sighed, grabbing the radio and looking at it. "Here we go again." I said quietly. 

"Bellamy, if you hear me, you're alive." I spoke into the radio, looking up at the sky. "It's been two thousand, one hundred ninety nine days since Praimfaya. A little over six years, can you believe how much time has passed? I don't know why I still do this, every day. I think I do it to keep myself in touch with my old self, who I used to be."

"I think about you guys every day. I try not to, but I do. I think about you, about Raven, about Monty and Murphy and Harper. I hope Emori and Echo are doing okay too. I hope you all are. I think about... I think about her a lot too. I try the hardest not to think about her. I miss her Bel, I miss her more than anything and I love her even more. I can't believe it's been six years since I've last seen her. Does she look different? I can't believe she'll be twenty seven this year. When I was eighteen and she was twenty two, there wasn't an age difference at all. Now she's old and I'm, well, I'm twenty four. At least, I think she'll be twenty seven. I don't know.

"Anyway, it's been safe for you guys to come down for a year now. What happened? I hope you guys are okay. I haven't heard from the bunker in a while, or at all, really. We tried digging them out, but we weren't able to. It was too much." I laughed. "Madi thinks we should build a bomb and blow it up. Raven would love her. I love her, she's my Madi. Can you believe it? I'm a mom now... crazier things have happened though, am I right?"

"Tell Raven to aim for the one spot of green. Madi and I have been cross country and we haven't been able to find anything that's really homelike except for here. We haven't found any survivors either. It's just us. Just tell Raven too-"

I was cut off when I heard a boom and my eyes moved to the sky, widening when I saw a ship falling from the Heaven's above. I smiled, standing up. "Nevermind... I see you." I laughed. I dropped the radio, running over to the drop ship. 

"Madi, Madi, wake up!" I yelled for the twelve year old. I climbed into the back seat, touching the side of her face as she woke up. She immediately heard the noise from above and her face broke out into a smile. I moved back, watching as she excitedly ran from the rover. I laughed, taking a deep breathe as nerves began to fill my stomach. 

I was going to see her again. She was alive. Lexa was alive and she was coming for me. In just minutes I would be in her arms again, I would be able to look into the eyes of the woman I fell in love with. She didn't even know I was alive. 

"Clarke! Clarke. It's huge!" She yelled. I squinted my eyebrows and ran around the rover, and over to where she was. I saw the ship coming closer, and she was right, it was huge. 

Within minutes, both Madi and I was pushing the rover back into the woods as the ship landed miles away from us. I was leaning against the back of the car, with Madi between my legs, hugging my torso tightly. I wrapped my arms around the small frame and held her to myself, trying to sooth the scared little girl. 

I sighed, leaning my head against the back of the car. Shit. 


	37. w.'re back

****

**l.eksa**

_one hour before touchdown_

"Okay everyone, it's go time!" Raven yelled, "Lexa, grab the oxygen tanks. Bellamy, get the food into the lower level. Let's go guys, it's time." 

We were all moving at once, packing the ship quickly and getting our shit together for our final moments on the ark. I was stumbling over Echo, who was piecing together the oxygen tanks as I handed them to her. Emori was yelling out encrypted codes to Raven as she plugged them into the computer. I can't believe how much we have all changed in the past six years. 

I didn't feel like the same Lexa anymore. I was stronger, I was wiser, and I was smarter. I had the knowledge of past centuries, and the knowledge of the Ground we were about to set down on. I had the strength of a Commander and the brains of an Arker. I was ready, I was new, and I would soon be home. This Earth didn't stand a chance against me. 

"Watch out Lexa." Bellamy yelled and I moved at the last second, a bag of food being thrown past me. 

"Nice job, Quasimodo." I joked, causing him to roll his eyes. He hated that nick name. But I didn't care, it was funny to me. 

As soon as the oxygen tanks were loaded, I ran out of the ship and started grabbing my things. I wrapped my bag, strapping it around my waist and then sliding it over my shoulders. I then touched the locket around my neck, closing my eyes for a second. This is what Clarke died for. I was going home. 

"Lexa, come on." Bellamy said, grabbing my arm. I nodded, moving quickly and making sure that everything that belonged to us was in the ship. It was hard to pack up six years of our life here and store it in a small cargo ship that was left behind when the Ark came down. But we managed, like we have before and like we will when we get to the ground. 

"Guys, we're going home." Harper was practically squealing as she strapped into her seat. Monty was sitting next to her, smiling adorably and I had to look away from the couple. It was hard to see that, even now. 

"Alright guys," Raven said as Bellamy and I got into out suits. "Strap in and let's go. We have two minutes before we launch. Now remember, we have limited oxygen like the first time around. So don't use these until I tell you, and breathe slow." Raven told us. 

I took a deep breath and leaned my head against the rest behind me. I was going home.

*******

It was a rough landing. When I came to, I was the only one awake. It was quiet, the ship was dead and I couldn't hear a thing. I moved from my seat, walking over to where there was a window in the door. It was so bright, I could barely see. When I kicked the door open, it broke off and I was thankful it didn't break off when we were falling. We would have been killed. 

I took a deep breath and jumped out of the ship, my feet hitting the solid ground of the Earth. I felt my oxygen getting low and I was quick to take off my helmet. The fresh air hit my face and I coughed as real air filled my body. I dropped the helmet and started taking off my gear. I was quick, stumbling over my own feet as I climbed out of the suit, anxious to feel the air on my skin. 

My knees hit the ground when I fell over, and I turned quickly, taking off the rest of the suit. I leaned back, my back resting against the soil as I looked up at the blue sky, smiling and laughing as the heat from the sun hit my skin. I touched the soil with my hands, digging into the Earth as I laughed. I was home, I was finally home. 

I heard movement from in front of me and I sat up, watching as Murphy fell from the ship. I laughed, watching as he took off the suit and looked up into the sun. All too soon, every one else started climbing from the ship, taking off their suits and sitting in the sun. We all started talking, laughing and sitting in the dirt while we sat in the sun. 

Monty looked over at Murphy, smiling softly before speaking. "We're back." 

"Bitches." Murphy replied, laughing as they shook their hands. I didn't know what they were talking about, but I figured it was something that happened before I knew them. 

"Alright guys..." Harper said, shoving Monty's head as she stood up. I stood up myself, looking towards the body of water that was near us. I smiled, kicking off my boots and taking my bag off as I ran towards the water. It was cold on my feet but I didn't care, I loved the feeling of it. I felt hands on my back and someone pushed me, furthering me into the water. I looked behind me, watching as Harper laughed. 

"Oh it's on." I said, moving back and splashing water at her. 

Too soon, we were all in the water, splashing each other and laughing. Emori jumped on me, causing us both to fall into the water. I laughed loudly, feeling the cold water spread throughout my body. Emori moved then, Murphy beginning to chase her. I moved, standing up and letting the cool water drip off of me. I laughed, breathlessly as I put my hands on my hips. 

I caught Bellamy's eye, smiling at him when he splashed water at me. I moved back, stumbling slightly and falling backwards. As I landed, a huge bang sounded from the woods across the pond. I jumped and I looked over, watching as fire spread through the trees and up into the air. My eyes widened and I moved backwards, my body hitting Monty's as I did so. 

"Let's go guys, we don't know what's on the ground anymore. We're in dangerous territory." Bellamy said suddenly. I knew he was right. This wasn't the same place I knew. 


	38. d.inosaur

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whenever I have to spell dinosaur I always sing Kesha's song dinosaur lol

**k.larke**

_one day after touchdown_

"Clarke! Clarke!" My eyes opened as hands roughly grabbed my body, shaking it. I looked up at saw Madi, staring down at me with wide eyes. "Clarke, there was another ship! It fell from the sky like you did!" She yelled in my face. 

I moved back, looking at the young girl as I woke up. "Are you sure?" I asked, unsure of whether or not I believed her. Ever since the ship fell a few weeks ago, she thinks everything in the sky is one. From birds, to leaves, to shooting stars. Everything was a ship. 

"Yes, I am sure. You have to believe me. They landed by the lake! And then there was fire! I think it was an explosion!" She yelled. 

I sighed, already knowing what she saw. Ever since Praimfaya, there have been heat pockets or something of the sorts, that randomly combust when the air is too hot. I've had run-ins with several, one left me knocked out for who knows long and a wicked burn on my back. "Madi, you also claimed you saw a dinosaur." I told her. 

"Because I did!"

"You don't even know what they look like, you didn't know they existed until I told you a few months ago. They've been dead for millions of years." I reminded her, trying not to laugh. 

She sighed, pushing me. "This is why I hate you! You never believe me." 

"Hey," I scolded. "Alright, alright. I believe you. Why don't we go check it out, okay? But we take the guns and you have to do everything I say, understood? This can't be like when you wanted to see the baby panthers, remember how badly that ended?" I reminded her. 

She sighed, but seemed content. "Okay, okay. I promise I will be very careful. Please... let's just go. It might be Bellamy!" She yelled. I laughed, knowing how excited she was to meet the prince of her dreams. I think that she had a crush on him through all the stories that I've told her. I find it cute, actually. But it hurts knowing that they probably are dead, and her prince will never come. 

"Let's go!"


	39. w.e are not alone

**l.eksa**

I followed Bellamy through the woods, Harper behind me, and everyone else behind her. I was carrying my gun in my hand, the strap hanging over my shoulder. The sun was starting to lower, and it created a yellow glow to everything on the ground. It looked beautiful, so perfect and I remembered back to when I was a kid, training in the streets of TonDC with Anya until nightfall. I missed that, I missed my old life. I wished that I could go back, I wished that I could go back in time to when I was still Commander. I would stop everything that had happened, and I would have everything again. 

But sadly, that's not the way life is. 

This is life. Life is hard, life is unfair. And yet, it's beautiful. Because I've survived another day, and there were plenty more to survive. 

I was standing near a tree when things suddenly got silent. Bellamy had left, saying that he was going to go try and look around the area. We were to stay here and scavenge for food. I was not too fond of the idea of him leaving alone, but he was a tough guy and I knew that he would be fine. It was us I was more so worried about. We didn't know what is out here. It's not the same woods I left behind. 

We all felt something was off after a few minutes, and when we started hearing movements in the trees, we knew it. I grabbed my gun and lifted it, aiming it towards the woods and looking through the lens. I grew nervous as I watched a shadow move between the trees. "Guys..." I spoke, nodding my head towards the woods. 

None of us had time to react, me especially, when I saw something black dart from outside of the woods. I met the eyes of an animal, large in size and teeth as long as my hand. I was frozen in stance as it ran towards me, jumping from the ground and knocking me over. I screamed as my back hit the ground, my gun flying from my hands. I moved them, pressing them into the soft skin of the animal as I pushed it, trying to keep it's teeth away from my face. 

"Get it off her!" Murphy yelled, aiming his gun and firing at the animal. I screamed for them to be careful, not wanting to be shot. I felt the claws of the animals hit my skin, causing blood to flow from the cuts. 

"Help!" I screamed, unable to push the animal from me. Soon, it stilled, falling onto me. I coughed, trying to push the heavy thing off of me. Murphy came over, pushing the thing off of me and I sighed as he pulled me up. I groaned, rubbing the areas were I was cut. Black blood was already spread across my skin. 

"Welcome to the ground, huh?" Murphy said, attempting a joke. 

Emori pushed him. "Don't be a dick."

We heard gunshots at that second, and someone screaming from the distance. It wasn't Bellamy. We all stared at each other before taking off, running into the dimming forest as the sun started to slip behind the trees. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there will be 1 more chapter


	40. b.lue meets green

 

**c.larke**

"Madi, be careful." I whispered as she was taking a few steps ahead of me. We were making our way towards where she saw the 'ship' land, and even though she promised me that she would listen to everything I said, she still has been doing whatever she wanted. I should have known. 

She ignored me and quickened her pace, and I was quick to follow her. The sun was beginning to set and I knew that we should be getting back to the rover soon, we shouldn't be out this late at night. It was dangerous and I knew that Madi needed to be back safely in the rover before the animals started to come out of hiding. The nighttime was the most dangerous, especially for someone who was as young as Madi, who hasn't finished her lessons. 

I sighed as I quickened my pace, following the young girl that has kept me sane, and mostly insane, for the past six years. I jumped over the fallen log, yelling at Madi in order to get her to calm down. I lost sight of her, and I cursed, running faster in order to catch up to her. 

It was then that I heard a gunshot, and a scream. My eyes widened and I froze for a second before running faster, running towards where I heard the sound. I dodged a tree, turning towards where a figure was standing over Madi, holding her down by the neck. My blood burned hot and I ran, wrapping my hands around the neck of the person and bringing them backwards. I twirled around, slamming my arm onto the neck and pushed down, cutting the oxygen from their lungs. 

My eyes widened when I met the familiar brown eyes I had last seen so long ago. "Bellamy..." I breathed out, immediately backing off. Madi stood up, grabbing onto my arm and hiding behind my body as Bellamy began to breathe, sitting up. 

"Clarke..." He looked up, a little blood on his face. 

I heard movement from further in the woods and I stepped back, grabbing on to Madi to protect her from what was coming. My eyes widened as Raven ran from the woods and when she saw me, she stopped dead in her tracks. "Clarke..." She said, standing still. 

Another person ran from the woods, it was Emori and then Murphy. I couldn't help but feel my heart beat faster as the faces of my friends, my family, came to view. Soon Monty was there, and then Harper and Echo. I couldn't help but feel my heart swell as I looked at the faces of the people I cared for most in the world. Madi was right, they were here. They came home. 

When movement from inside the trees came alive again, my heart started beating faster. The dark figure stopped at the treeline and I felt myself grow so nervous I felt as if I was going to throw up. A few moments passed before the figure moved, stepping out into the dimly lit sunlight and I felt my knees grow weak. Lexa was standing there, staring at me. 

She was frozen for a second, her eyes on me as they met mine. She took a step forward, limping a little as she stepped. She was skinnier than I remembered, her face more slender. Her hair, usually in braids, was pulled back a little at the top and the rest was hanging in curly strands of hair. Her blood was on her neck, her arms and on a green tank top that she was wearing. She looked straight at me, her eyes wide and tired, her mouth agape. She looked as if she saw a ghost. I knew in some ways, I was a ghost to her. 

I watched as she took a few steps forward, slow and limping at first. I moved forward myself, feeling how weak my legs actually were. She was still staring at me, and nothing besides her was on my mind as I took my steps forward. 

Lexa then moved quicker, dropping her gun and holding out her hands to me. I dropped my own gun and reached out, grabbing onto her hands as she was finally close enough to me. She paused, staring at me for a second before she moved, wrapping her arms around my body and holding me so tightly against her. I breathed out, shaking as I wrapped my own arms around her, resting my head against her shoulder, breathing in the smell of her. She smelt of blood, of lake water, and of sweat. But still, she smelt like herself. She was holding onto me so tightly, I was holding onto most of her body weight. 

I felt her shaking and soon she sniffled, moving backwards and looking at my face. I brought my hands up to her face, touching the sides of her face in disbelief as she did the same to me. 

"You're alive..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment and let me know how you liked the book!


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